Microsoft CEO warns that if AI doesn't 'do something useful,' it will lose its 'social license' to consume power
Speaking at the World Economic Forum, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella warned that AI's real value is not being appreciated and that it will lose public support unless it is used for something useful.
Microsoft CEO warns that we must 'do something useful' with AI or they'll lose 'social permission' to burn electricity on it | PC Gamer
https://www.pcgamer.com/software/ai/microsoft-ceo-warns-that-we-must-do-something-useful-with-ai-or-theyll-lose-social-permission-to-burn-electricity-on-it/
AI has contributed to society in many areas, including science, technology, and culture, and has a proven track record, including analyzing the effects of genetic mutations and helping to elucidate the causes of Alzheimer's disease . However, its use to generate spam and AI slop has been criticized by the general public, raising concerns about the inappropriate use of resources such as electricity for activities that cannot be evaluated for productivity.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in January 2026, CEO Satya Nadella addressed the above criticisms, warning, 'Unless AI is used to do something useful that transforms outcomes for people, communities, countries and industries, it will lose public support. We will soon lose social acceptance for even dedicating scarce resources like energy to generating these tokens, because they are not improving health outcomes, educational outcomes, public sector efficiency or private sector competitiveness in areas large and small. Is that right?'
CEO Nadella added that improving this competitiveness and maintaining social acceptance is his ultimate goal. He said it's important for employers and job seekers to actually start using AI, and expressed his recognition that all companies need to start by utilizing AI. He argued that just as companies once required job seekers to have Excel skills, they need to require them to acquire AI skills.
In this way, a society in which people recognize that acquiring these AI skills will improve their ability to provide products and services in the real world is what is needed to amplify the supply and demand cycle and spread AI globally.
CEO Nadella cited advances in healthcare as a benefit of the increasing adoption of AI. If AI could transcribe medical records, input data into electronic medical records, and ensure proper drug billing, the time spent interacting between human doctors and patients would increase, benefiting the entire healthcare industry, including patients.
Nadella also saw AI as a 'cognitive amplifier,' giving people who previously had no opportunity to learn access to 'infinite knowledge.' 'It's up to us to create those opportunities,' he said.
Related Posts:
