In Iowa, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak predicts future of cell phones, driverless cars

If you're wondering what the future of smartphones will look like, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak suggests eyeing another piece of technology that helped reshape society: the automobile. 

Speaking at U.S. Cellular's Business Tech Tour in downtown Des Moines Tuesday, Wozniak compared the course of automobile advancements to what could be in store for iPhones and other handheld devices.

While mass production of the automobile transformed transportation, Wozniak said the basics remained constant for decades: cars today are still largely four-wheeled vehicles of a similar size and shape as the first prototypes. And we still use them for commuting to work and family road trips.

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"It hasn't really changed in 100 years, maybe 150 years," he said. "It hasn't changed a lot, what they do. So I think that the handheld device that has a lot of the information of the world is still going to be predominate for a huge amount of time. It doesn't have to die."

He said developers often make rapid advancements in technology before experiencing prolonged periods of stagnation.

"Technology can make things change very quickly," he said, "but you kind of reach plateaus where you don't really take an easy step to the next level."

Wozniak, dressed in Nike sneakers, black slacks and a black quarter-zip pullover, said televisions, phones and 3D technology have recently had trouble making big advancements.

"These things have trouble getting mass acceptance," he said. "So I think we're going to stick with pretty much some good handheld devices and get a little better and better."

Likewise, the tech expert seemed skeptical about the future of artificial intelligence and driverless car technologies. 

"Its going to take self-driving cars a long time before we trust them," he said. "And I don't think they'll ever really drive themselves as long as they stick to human-made roads."

As he has frequently done in the past, Wozniak advocated for putting humans above technology. He said he's frequently studied the differences between computers and human brains and doesn't believe machines are anywhere close to truly replicating the complexities of the brain.

"The thing is we don't know how the brain is wired," he said. "I don't believe we're really going to get there. We're not on the right track at all."

Wozniak said there are still many things a human brain can do that a computer can't. 

"I like the 'A,' but I don't lie the 'I' in AI," he said. "I'd almost call it alien influenza."

While he told the business-heavy crowd that he wasn't a business expert, the inventor did offer some advice for running an organization. He fondly recalled his early years building Apple with his co-founder Steve Jobs. That taught him the importance of personality match — something he said too many businesses overlook when building teams. 

"They'll just be excited about working together. They'll do much more work and go much more further if they like each other," he said. "The better friends you are, the more productive you're going to be."

Wozniak is perhaps best known for creating the Apple II in 1977. It was one of the first successful commercial launches of a personal computer. While his inventions have earned him millions, he noted that he early on gave away tens of millions of company stocks to other employees. 

"I never started Apple for money," he said. "I wanted to bring computers to the world."

A self-professed math nerd, Wozniak said he has simplified the meaning of life into a simple formula: happiness = s - f. In that equation, "s" stands for smiles and "f" stands for frowns.

He said he tries to not dwell on negativity and still finds time for playing pranks and laughing with others. 

"I got through life pretty much that way," he said. "Except now, I get upset quite frequently when I'm using technology and it doesn't work right, it doesn't do what I thought it would do."

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article listed an incorrect date for the Apple II computer.