Microsoft AI CEO says the AI revolution will "deliver the greatest boost to productivity in the history of our species" — but also raise fundamental questions about what it means to be human

Mustafa Suleyman, Microsoft AI CEO talks on Day 1 of the AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park at Bletchley Park on November 1, 2023 in Bletchley, England.
Mustafa Suleyman, Microsoft AI CEO talks on Day 1 of the AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park at Bletchley Park on November 1, 2023 in Bletchley, England. (Image credit: Getty Images | Leon Neal)

What you need to know

  • Microsoft's AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman recently indicated AI progression could lead to the greatest boost to productivity in history within the next couple of decades.
  • However, he warns the progression could destabilize how we understand the world, including raising fundamental questions about what it means to be human.
  • OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently indicated AGI will "whoosh by" within the next 5 years, dwindling its societal impact to "significantly little" than expected.

As generative AI advances and scales greater heights, it's becoming more difficult to determine its impact on the future and society. It has heavily influenced sectors, including medicine, computing, education, and entertainment.

However, there are critical concerns about AI's rapid progression, especially with the lack of elaborate measures and regulations to help mitigate issues abound if/when it veers off the rails. Perhaps more concerning, AI researchers and experts claim AI will eventually spell inevitable doom on humanity with a 99.9% probability.

Interestingly, Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman shares the same sentiments about the progression of generative AI (via @tsarnick on X). In a recent interview on the Young and Profiting YouTube Channel, the executive shared some interesting insights on the trajectory of AI and its possible implications for humanity.

"It is true that this AI moment is going to deliver the greatest boost to productivity in the history of our species, in the next couple of decades. That, to me, is unquestionable. I don't think that makes me an optimist, I think that makes me a good predictor of the underlying trends."

While the anticipated boost in productivity could change how people view work and enhance efficiency and effectiveness, it could also feature major drawbacks. Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman says it could create the most change in a disruptive way we've ever seen:

"It's going to be destabilizing to the way that we currently understand the world to be, the way that we work, and the way our politics operates. Fundamentally, even what it means to be human."

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman indicated that the company might hit the AGI within the next 5 years with the current hardware. Interestingly, the executive claimed the benchmark would "whoosh by" with "surprisingly little" societal change.

Everyone has a different AI story

CEO of Microsoft AI: AI Will Transform Business and Work Like Never Before! - Mustafa Suleyman - YouTube CEO of Microsoft AI: AI Will Transform Business and Work Like Never Before! - Mustafa Suleyman - YouTube
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Interestingly, the executive also predicts AI gaining recursive self-improving capabilities, including editing its code to get better and self-improve. Suleyman also predicts AI will become autonomous, working independently of the user's direct command within the next 3-5 years, but before 2030.

This news comes after rumors indicated that Copilot might undergo significant changes in the foreseeable future, turning it into more than just a tool. Microsoft might evolve Copilot into an AI companion that can become a friend and foster meaningful and lasting relationships with users.

However, if Copilot's latest warm and intuitive update is anything to go by, users want a simple AI-powered tool to boost their productivity. Microsoft shipped a massive update to its AI tool, overhauling its user experience with new features, including Copilot Vision. Users have expressed frustrations with Copilot's recent update, citing a degraded user experience and low-quality responses. Microsoft staffers highlighted disappointment with the recent update, branding it as "a step backward" that has "absolutely ruined" Copilot.

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Kevin Okemwa
Contributor

Kevin Okemwa is a seasoned tech journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya with lots of experience covering the latest trends and developments in the industry at Windows Central. With a passion for innovation and a keen eye for detail, he has written for leading publications such as OnMSFT, MakeUseOf, and Windows Report, providing insightful analysis and breaking news on everything revolving around the Microsoft ecosystem. You'll also catch him occasionally contributing at iMore about Apple and AI. While AFK and not busy following the ever-emerging trends in tech, you can find him exploring the world or listening to music.