A new era in tech: How AI is emerging as the next great equalizer 

Today, a once-in-a-generation shift with AI is changing the relationship between people and technology forever. In the tech industry, it’s a time of continuous innovation where every day brings something new.  

To explore the intentionality behind Microsoft’s efforts to empower the planet with AI, I recently sat down with Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, Microsoft AI, Mustafa Suleyman. I wanted to learn more about his vision for technology’s next era and what he believes these shifts mean for our collective future. Here are some of my key takeaways:  

AI is a radical equalizer.  

There have been many paradigm shifts in technology, from PCs, to the cloud, to today where most people now have a supercomputer in their pocket. One of the things that excites me the most is that AI presents a unique opportunity to invite more people in to create a more fair, equal access environment where AI becomes a tool, service, or agent. 

That’s because AI goes well beyond the access to information that became ubiquitous with cell phones. It democratizes the ability to apply skills and knowledge that would take years to acquire on our own.  

For example, AI can empower people to help revolutionize the diagnosis of rare diseases. It can help unlock the potential of students in resource-constrained classrooms. A team of high-school engineers can create a solution to help millions of people with poor eyesight. Anyone who wants to can write a song, or a poem, or a book. And all of this just by interacting with an AI tool as if it were a colleague or a friend.  

The population Microsoft aspires to invite into this technological revolution is enormous, and we’re just beginning to understand what people are capable of with these tools. But it’s already clear that AI has the potential to be a radical equalizer that can empower people everywhere to do, build, and create in ways they may have only dreamed of before. 

To lead in tech, we need non-tech input.  

During our conversation, Mustafa shared his belief that representation in design and coding is more important than ever. AI needs to understand where and who we are, and the context of our present circumstances, to connect us with the information and problem-solving capabilities we really need.  

To gain that broad perspective, Microsoft is expanding the way we think about diversity of backgrounds, skillsets, disciplines, cultures, countries, and identities as we innovate. To build the kind of AI we aspire to, we’re going to need professions and viewpoints that haven’t traditionally been involved in building technology—hospital administrators, teachers, civil engineers, lawyers, consumer professionals, and more.  

This mindset amplifies our constant curiosity: Who are we leaving out? Who do we need to hear from? If we aim to create an end-user-centric, deeply trusted, responsible AI that serves the entire planet, we must invite the broadest possible set of lived experiences into our development so that the technology can become the trusted advisor the world needs.  

We are witnessing the most profound technological transformation in history.  

What stands out most about AI isn’t the technology itself, but the invitation to reimagine our relationship with it. We’re entering an era where humans and AI-powered technologies become deeply collaborative—and where tools are designed with empathy and intention so they adapt to us, not the other way around. AI agents will increasingly work on our behalf, taking on routine tasks, monitoring vast data and information systems beyond the scope of human perception, and partnering with us so we can all work more effectively.  

These capabilities will have a profound impact on our work, the opportunities available to us, our sense of self, our relationships, and how entire societies and economies operate. As such, this is a moment to ask bold questions, listen, and stay curious about how AI can enable progress for everyone. How can we each find the interactions and experiences with AI tools to help us discover, access, and fulfill our own unique opportunities and potential?  

Be prepared to step into the unknown while innovators pivot on a dime. 

Mustafa said that every week he is seeing breakthroughs as AI innovation explodes, either at Microsoft or in the field with customers. It’s a fast-paced moment, and Microsoft is pivoting on a dime.  

Having worked in technology for years, I’ve learned that change is constant. People have worked and lived alongside technology for decades and have learned to be agile and adapt to the new paradigms, applications, devices, interfaces, and capabilities that arise. But AI has the potential to transform the world in ways we haven’t yet imagined. This is a time that requires everyone to become more comfortable than ever with the unknown.  

I’ve spoken often about the practice of adaptive leadership—learning to diagnose new conditions, disrupt old ways of thinking, and tap into the potential of new capabilities. But of course, becoming adaptive isn’t just for leaders. Being mindful about embracing curiosity and staying open to new experiences can be a transformative practice for anyone. And in the age of AI, it’s essential.  

My time with Mustafa gave me a deeper understanding of the opportunities before us. We’re just beginning to see what’s possible with AI, but one thing we know: inclusion will drive this next wave of innovation.  

I hope my conversation with Mustafa will spark something new and exciting for you. You can check it out here:

Leading an organization into the age of AI will require more than just building new skills across the company. Leaders must also develop an AI mindset to address their own organization’s processes and knowledge work and use AI in a practical way.  

Harvard Business Publishing recently released a study on this topic: “AI-First Leadership: Embracing the Future of Work.” It highlights the potential of managers and midlevel leaders whose roles sit between vision and execution in tying AI’s capabilities to actual processes and roles.  

The ability to connect that practical knowledge of “how the work gets done” to the capabilities of emerging tools like NLWeb, which allows organizations to easily integrate conversational interfaces, and Muse, a world-building tool for gaming that opens a universe of possibilities for 3D modeling and experimentation, will be key to truly unlocking the power of AI.  

At Microsoft we believe a core ingredient for this transformation is cultivating a growth mindset for employees to engage with AI tools. Transparent communication, accessible training, and a culture of psychological safety are key to empowering teams to integrate AI into their workflows. Ultimately, the best leaders won’t be the ones with all the answers. They’ll be the ones who create space for curiosity, experimentation, and co-creation.

Summer is always one of the most exciting times for me both at home and at work. At home, I’m getting ready for the kids to be here, instead of school, for a few precious weeks. It’s a chance to reflect on all the ways that families come together and how amazing it is that “family” can mean so many different people in our lives, whether we’re born together or have chosen to become family.  

At work at Microsoft, June marks the end of our fiscal year, and we are always trying to understand what worked well, what needs improvement, and the big priorities and shifts we’ll focus on for the coming year.  

June also brings Pride Month and this year I both appreciate the celebrations all over the world—and at the same time, I really want to honor the history and work that have gone into the push for equal rights and take time to consider how far we still have to go.  

As we work to hone our efforts, we think about and celebrate all the different families and communities we are born into or have chosen for ourselves and how people from every background come together into a global company. Important annual moments like Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Military Appreciation Month, and Families Month come to life through stories from our own employees as part of our Code of Us campaign, which has become an inspiring online destination that I encourage everyone to dive into.