News Release

Applied Materials Joins White House Effort to Narrow the Digital Divide; $1 Million Pledge Includes Training Center in East Palo Alto

Apr 17, 2000 at 11:03 AM EDT

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 17, 2000--Applied Materials Inc. announced today that it will commit $1 million for programs that assist people nationwide to acquire the skills they need to participate in the new digital economy.

During President Bill Clinton's visit to East Palo Alto this morning, Applied Materials also announced that as part of its pledge, it will develop a new digital economy training center in that city in partnership with Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, as well as local government and community organizations.

"Our global Information Age economy is the result of everything we've been working on in Silicon Valley for the last 30 years," said James C. Morgan, chairman and chief executive officer of Applied Materials. "High-tech corporations must reach out to enable all of our communities to benefit from the opportunities that exist in the new economy. The effort which we are launching today is an important part of Applied Materials' Information for Everyone(TM) commitment."

Morgan and two dozen Silicon Valley leaders joined President Clinton in a roundtable discussion on ways the public and private sector can bring digital opportunity to youth, families and communities. East Palo Alto was the first stop on a two-day tour by President Clinton to focus national attention on the "digital divide" -- a gap between those individuals and communities that have access to Information Age tools and those who do not.

The newly announced East Palo Alto training center will provide unemployed and underemployed workers and students the skills that they need to be part of Silicon Valley's growing high-technology workforce. It will be modeled after organizations like DC Link and Learn, based in Washington, D.C., which is a family technology center that boosts community participation in the new economy, from pre-kindergarten children to senior citizens.

Applied Materials, Inc. is a Fortune 500 global growth company and the world's largest supplier of wafer fabrication systems and services to the global semiconductor industry. Applied Materials is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol, "AMAT". Applied Materials' website is http://www.appliedmaterials.com.

CONTACT: Applied Materials, Inc.

Jeff Lettes, 408/563-5161 (editorial/media)

Carolyn Schwartz, 408/748-5227 (financial community)