Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella sees AI as both an existential challenge and a strategic opportunity that can shape the company's long-term leadership in the technology industry. This is evidenced by internal corporate documents, as well as comments from current and former Microsoft executives, Business Insider reports.
It should be noted that the company has introduced large-scale organizational changes, including personnel changes and tightening requirements for speed and efficiency of teams. These steps aim to redistribute power in favor of AI leaders and radically rethink approaches to product development and funding. It is alleged that Nadella has taken a hard line against some of Microsoft's top managers and veterans, effectively making a choice between aggressively implementing AI and leaving the company.
One of the key personnel decisions was the promotion of Judson Althoff, Microsoft's longtime sales executive, to general manager of commercial affairs. The move will free up time for Nadella and technical management to focus on the technical side of the AI strategy, from data center build out and system architecture to basic research and product innovation. An internal memo describes the appointment as a “tectonic shift” in the development of Microsoft's AI platform.
According to one of the company's top managers, the new management structure has worked, providing Nadella with additional resources to participate directly in shaping the AI agenda. He noted that the head of Microsoft is fully involved in the training, implementation and development of AI within the corporation.
Business Insider's sources also said that Nadella personally holds weekly meetings on AI implementation and oversees a dedicated channel in Microsoft Teams. These meetings are intentionally less formal and focus on accelerating the exchange of ideas. At the same time, prioritize the presentation of junior engineers rather than managers, which will reduce the influence of hierarchy and encourage real initiatives.
In the context of transformation, further personnel changes may occur. According to insiders, the longtime head of Office and Windows, Rajesh Jha, is considering retirement, and the head of cybersecurity, Charlie Bell, may leave the company.
