Xerox PARC, or the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, is a research and development company established in 1970. It is known for pioneering innovations in computing technology, including the development of the graphical user interface (GUI), which transformed how users interact with computers. The center also played a crucial role in the creation of technologies such as the Ethernet networking protocol and the Laser printer. Many of these innovations laid the groundwork for modern computing and influenced major tech companies, including Apple and Microsoft.