A WSJ report reveals that the CIA provided secret funding to Steve Jobs' NeXT in the 1980s, helping keep the company afloat before it later became known for the NeXTSTEP operating system that would eventually influence macOS. The revelation sheds light on the covert relationship between intelligence agencies and emerging tech companies during the Cold War era.
Background
NeXT was Steve Jobs' computer company founded in 1985 after he left Apple. Its NeXTSTEP operating system later became the foundation for macOS and iOS. The CIA has a long history of funding technology ventures as part of its operations.
- Source
- Hacker News (RSS)
- Published
- Aug 20, 2026 at 08:15 AM
- Score
- 6.0 / 10