Satya Nadella: How the Microsoft CEO Expressed Concerns About AI

Liputan6.com, Jakarta September 2025 was a high-profile period for Microsoft and its leader, Satya Nadella.

As Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chairman of Microsoft, Nadella openly expressed his concerns about the company's potential failure to adapt to the rapidly advancing era of artificial intelligence (AI).

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella admitted he is "haunted" by the possibility of Microsoft failing to survive in the era of artificial intelligence (AI).

According to a report by The Verge, Nadella said, “Some of the biggest businesses we’ve built might not be as relevant going forward.”

Speaking at an employee meeting, Nadella responded to a question about the company's changing culture.

However, his remarks revealed deeper concerns about the company's ability to remain relevant in the rapidly evolving technology landscape.

The company committed to strengthening its position in future technology markets, particularly in the UK, while also inaugurating a state-of-the-art data center in the United States.

Satya Narayana Nadella, an Indian-American business executive, has led Microsoft through a major transformation since taking over as CEO in 2014.

Born on August 19, 1967, he holds a background in electrical engineering from the Manipal Institute of Technology, a Master's degree in computer science from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Prior to assuming the CEO role, Nadella had a long career at Microsoft, starting in 1992, leading key projects such as the transition to cloud computing.

He served as senior vice president of R&D for the Online Services Division, vice president of the Microsoft Business Division, and president of the Server and Tools business.

Nadella also oversaw strategic acquisitions such as LinkedIn for $26 billion and Activision Blizzard for $69 billion, as well as an investment of over $10 billion in OpenAI, making him a key player in the AI ​​revolution.

Numerous awards and recognitions, including the Time 100, Financial Times Person of the Year, and the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian honor, affirm his position as an influential global technology leader.

In mid-September 2025, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella bluntly stated that he was "haunted" by the possibility of Microsoft failing to survive in the era of artificial intelligence.

He used Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) as a cautionary tale of a once-dominant company that ultimately disappeared due to its inability to adapt to technological change.

In response to these concerns, Microsoft announced a major investment of £22 billion ($30 billion) across the UK to boost the development of the country's AI infrastructure.

This investment includes expanding cloud and AI infrastructure, as well as the construction of the UK's largest supercomputer equipped with over 23,000 Nvidia GPUs, strengthening Microsoft's ties with the UK.

Not only in the UK, Nadella also announced the construction of the world's most powerful data center, 'Fairwater', in Wisconsin, USA.

This data center is specifically designed for AI training and inference workloads at unprecedented levels, promising 10 times the performance of today's fastest supercomputers with advanced cooling systems.

Internal issues were also a major concern for Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in September 2025.

Responding to employee feedback regarding a “colder, more rigid, and less empathetic” work environment following recent layoffs, Nadella acknowledged that the company needed to “do better” in rebuilding employee trust.

Meanwhile, Microsoft also faced external pressure from the consumer watchdog group, Consumer Reports.

The group urged Nadella to reverse his decision to end free security updates for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025.

They argued that the move would leave millions of users vulnerable to cyberthreats and exacerbate the problem of e-waste.

In more positive financial news, Microsoft's board of directors announced a quarterly dividend increase of $0.91 per share, reflecting a 10% increase from the previous quarter.