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CEO Microsoft AI: 'Now is the time to go all-in on AI' and here's why

An interesting interview was recently published on the developments of AI. During the Masters of Scale Summit, Reid Hoffman interviewed Mustafa Suleyman, the CEO of Microsoft AI. This is a conversation between two influential tech pioneers who know very well what they are talking about.

Reid Hoffman is co-founder of LinkedIn, a board member of Microsoft, a partner of investment firm Greylock and one of the first investors in OpenAI. Suleyman is a former co-founder of DeepMind, which was sold to Google. He then founded AI company Inflection, which was recently acquired by Microsoft. Below we discuss 5 key developments Suleyman sees in the next 5 years:

Self-learning AI: lightning-fast progress

One of Suleyman's striking predictions is the rise of self-learning AI. These systems are becoming smart enough to recognize and correct their own mistakes. That sounds like a breakthrough, but it also raises questions about how fast this technology is evolving. The moment AI can improve itself, a huge acceleration occurs. Companies and organizations will feel the impact immediately, as this technology will influence much of our work and decisions.

Emotional intelligence: AI is becoming more human

It is no longer just about pure computing power and data processing. According to Suleyman, emotional intelligence will play an increasingly important role in the communication and relationships AI enters into. It is no longer just about what AI knows, but how it shares that knowledge and engages in interactions. AI's increasing empathy and emotional smarts will make technology more human, which will help users trust their digital assistants faster.

AI watching along: Copilot as a vision of the future

Microsoft has already announced that their Copilot will soon have a feature where AI can "see" what you see on your screen. This will give AI assistants the ability to proactively support you in your daily tasks. Imagine an assistant that instantly understands what information you need simply by watching what is happening on your screen. This opens the door to a new way of collaborating with AI, where the technology not only responds to our commands, but can also take initiative.

Permanent memory: AI that remembers what you say

Suleyman predicts that AI systems will have permanent memory by 2025. This means AIs will remember all the information you share with them and all your interactions, making for more personal and efficient conversations. This new feature gives AI a more human touch: an assistant who knows your preferences and habits and offers you exactly the answers that fit your needs. It changes the interaction between humans and AI, with both benefits and privacy challenges.

Large and small AI models: power and precision combined

Suleyman foresees a dichotomy between powerful AI models for complex tasks and small, efficient AIs for specific applications. These two types of AI complement each other. Large models are used for tasks that require a lot of computing power, such as data processing and analysis. Small models are suitable for specific tasks in everyday life, such as supporting employees in their work or processing customer queries.

These developments align well with the AI Roadmap 2024 - 2030 and have a major impact on how organizations can deploy AI. Let's look at what this means in concrete terms.

Suleyman sees significant opportunities and challenges.

Opportunities: small, specialized AI tools and natural conversations

One of the biggest opportunities Suleyman sees is in small, specialized AI tools designed for specific tasks. Think of an AI that specializes in your niche running on a device as small as a refrigerator magnet. The barrier to working with computers will be much lower because soon you won't have to know specific commands. AI just understands you when you talk, just like talking to a colleague. Moreover, AIs with permanent memory become a kind of digital colleagues who understand your workflow and help you work more efficiently.

Challenges: self-learning AI, emotional attachment and privacy

With the opportunities also come challenges. Suleyman cautions that we must closely monitor AI's self-learning ability. AI systems are getting better at recognizing and improving their own weaknesses. They automatically learn from mistakes, making them smarter and smarter. This rapid development requires careful monitoring to keep the technology safe and reliable.

In addition, he stresses the importance of a balanced relationship between humans and AI. Precisely because AI systems are becoming more human-like in their communication, there is a risk that people will form too strong emotional bonds with their digital assistants. Finally, privacy is an important issue; with AI systems constantly watching and collecting data, clear boundaries must be set about what data you do and do not share with AI.

Ask yourself: are you quite ready?

At the end of the talk, Hoffman asked what is the most important question we should ask ourselves. Suleyman's answer was a powerful call to go all-in now: "Ask yourself: are you fully ready? Because this is really a tipping point. We've seen enough evidence of previous technology transitions over the past five decades to know that this is going to reshape everything. This is the time to start businesses, scale, or even take your career in a new direction."

According to Suleyman, the moment to make an impact on the direction of AI is in the here and now. Whether you are an entrepreneur, activist or academic, this is the time to act. In 2050, the train has departed and everything will be different. This is the moment we can collectively impact the future of AI.

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