Intel's 4004, released in 1971, was the world's first commercially available single-chip microprocessor, integrating the functions of a computer's central processing unit onto one small piece of silicon. Designed for a Japanese calculator, it demonstrated that computing power could be miniaturised radically. The microprocessor revolution that followed ultimately produced the personal computers and smartphones on which most poetry is now written, read, and shared.

The introduction of the microprocessor in 1971 powered the personal computing revolution, leading to new forms of electronic literature. Poets such as Stephanie Strickland began to explore the intersection of technology and poetry, utilizing digital platforms to create interactive and multimedia poetic experiences.