Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is accelerating the company’s artificial intelligence strategy, introducing what insiders describe as a renewed “sense of urgency” amid intensifying competition in the global AI race.
According to a report by the Financial Times, Nadella has initiated changes at the senior leadership level and adopted a more hands-on management approach to speed up development across Microsoft’s AI models, coding tools, and applications.
Nadella Enters ‘Founder Mode’
Multiple current and former Microsoft executives told the FT that Nadella is personally intervening more often in AI-related decisions, a shift prompted by rising pressure from rivals such as Amazon and Google, both of which are investing heavily in AI infrastructure and foundational models.
“Satya is in founder mode,” said Dee Templeton, Microsoft’s deputy chief technology officer, referring to a leadership style that prioritizes direct involvement and faster execution.
One senior executive added that the goal is to simplify internal processes and make it easier for teams to move quickly: “Satya is trying to demonstrate a sense of urgency.”
Copilot Growth, but Competition Looms
Microsoft’s flagship AI assistant, Microsoft Copilot, now serves more than 150 million monthly active users. However, that figure still trails chatbot platforms from Google and OpenAI, which reportedly reach hundreds of millions of users worldwide.
The urgency follows a restructuring of Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI in October. While the alliance initially gave Microsoft an early lead through exclusive access to OpenAI’s technology and data center arrangements, the revised deal reduces Microsoft’s access to OpenAI’s ongoing research and ends its exclusivity over infrastructure usage.
Industry-Wide Shift Toward AI Agents
The developments come as interest in advanced AI systems continues to grow across industries. PYMNTS recently reported that adoption of agentic AI is gradually increasing in the financial sector. While most CFOs had no plans to deploy such systems earlier this year, new data shows companies cautiously testing AI agents in tightly controlled, low-risk workflows.
As competition intensifies and partnerships evolve, Nadella’s more direct leadership signals that Microsoft intends to remain a central player in shaping the next phase of artificial intelligence.