Scott Adams, the creator of the globally popular workplace comic strip Dilbert, has died at the age of 68 after a prolonged battle with advanced prostate cancer.
His death was confirmed by his former wife, Shelly Miles, who announced the news during a livestream in which she also read a final message Adams wrote shortly before his passing.
Adams became a household name in 1989 when Dilbert debuted, quickly striking a chord with office workers around the world. The strip’s sharp, often cynical take on corporate bureaucracy, clueless management and employee frustration turned Dilbert into a cultural icon of modern office life. At its peak, the comic was published in over 2,000 newspapers worldwide and translated into multiple languages. Adams’ influence was formally recognised in 1997 when he won the National Cartoonist Society’s Reuben Award, the highest honour in the profession.
Beyond the comics page, Adams built a successful career as an author and speaker, writing several best-selling books on business, persuasion and personal development. Titles such as How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big expanded his audience beyond cartoon readers and cemented his reputation as a sharp observer of workplace psychology and human behaviour.
However, his later years were increasingly defined by controversy. In 2023, a wave of backlash followed a series of public comments on race and politics that many organisations and media outlets described as offensive. As a result, major newspapers and syndication partners dropped Dilbert, effectively ending its long print run. Adams rejected accusations of racism, insisting his remarks were exaggerated for effect, and pivoted to online platforms where he continued to publish content, including livestreams and subscription-based versions of Dilbert.
In 2025, Adams revealed that he had been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer, explaining that the illness had spread to his bones and that his outlook was grim. Despite his deteriorating health, he remained publicly engaged, offering reflections on life, resilience and gratitude. In his final message, shared after his death, he encouraged supporters to “pay it forward” and expressed satisfaction that he had lived fully and without regret.
Reactions to Adams’ death have reflected the dual nature of his legacy. Many admirers credit him with redefining workplace satire and giving voice to the everyday frustrations of millions of employees. Others remain critical of his later views and the controversies that overshadowed his final years. Public figures, including former U.S. President Donald Trump, paid tribute, describing him as influential and courageous in the face of illness.
Scott Adams leaves behind a body of work that permanently changed comic satire and sparked conversations far beyond the office cubicle — a career remembered as both groundbreaking and deeply polarising.
