As the Nixon Administration cut funding for computer science at RAND Corporation due to the Pentagon Papers scandal, Robert Balzer, together with Keith Uncapher and Thomas Ellis, left RAND and embarked on a journey to establish an institute in Marina Del Rey that would transform the digital revolution.

Balzer's expertise and vision were instrumental in establishing ISI as a force multiplier in the Information Age. He served as a professor and director of the Software Sciences Division, leading groundbreaking advancements in software development and AI. With a reputation for being a demanding interviewer, Bob handpicked and developed many of the engineers on the initial ISI team who later went on to significant contributions to the field. After 28 years at ISI, Balzer continued his pioneering efforts as the chief technical officer at Teknowledge Corporation, where he pushed the boundaries of AI and software engineering.