Microsoft Chief Executive Satya Nadella shares an unsettling message saying that artificial intelligence (AI) can not be controlled by just a few firms. He highlighted that a few global tech giants are currently controlling the most powerful AI systems, while also dictating how the technology evolves in terms of safety risks and job losses.

Must read: 'Future of the firm is the ability to…': Microsoft’s Satya Nadella message for AI era

Nadella’s vision for future of AI 

According to The Wall Street Journal’s interview, Nadella did not take any specific company names, but his statement was a direct hit at OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google, which are currently leading the AI race. 

Nadella criticised the ongoing transformation, saying that, "You can't say, hey, all white-collar jobs are gone, and this could even be a weapon, and we will use all the power to build data centres.” He further added that you cannot hand the world's curiosity to a handful of companies and call it progress. 

He pointed out how Microsoft's vision is to contribute to the next wave of the AI boom, with cost-effective AI models, greater user control, and political messaging. On job losses, Nadella stated that companies must redesign workflows where humans and AI work together more effectively.  The company has recently rolled out low-cost AI models to prevent higher AI bills. Its Copilot Cowork also gives users the ability to choose between AI models.

Must read: 'Human capital is...': Satya Nadella says AI success will hinge on ecosystems, not frontier models

According to him, AI should become a commodity rather than an expensive technology controlled by a few providers. Businesses should be able to choose between models based on cost and performance.

AI benefits to be shared broadly

Nadella emphasised the need for societal benefits of AI, saying that it should be "more democratised.” More businesses, developers, and workers should benefit from the technology, he added. 

"We now have to do the hard work in earning the social permission,” he said. His vision for the future of AI also resembles the essay he published on June 14. The essay highlighted that human capital and token capital must compound at similar rates. This will help prevent the widening inequality rather than closing it.

In an AI-driven world, the real differentiator will be the unique knowledge and expertise of its employees and organisation, as per Nadella.