Earlier this year, Microsoft appointed Mustafa Suleyman as its AI chief. Suleyman, who was one of the co-founders of Google’s DeepMind, is now focusing on overseeing important teams like Bing, Edge, and the flagship AI product, Copilot. Talking about AI ambitions in a recent podcast with Seth Rosenberg, Suleyman revealed that he wants to make his flagship product, Copilot, a literal friend to its users—or in his words, an assistant.

Discussing the new AI projects, Suleyman said that since his arrival he has been very impressed by the scale of the company and the quality of its products, which he believes are often underestimated in Silicon Valley. “The quality of the products and their scale and reach are much more than you would think as a default Silicon Valley person who grew up at Google,” he said.

Suleyman also stressed the need to re-evaluate Microsoft’s reputation in Silicon Valley, saying that despite its global reputation, the company often lives in the shadow of its old rival Google. He reiterated that “the quality of the products and their scale and reach are huge for a Silicon Valley guy who grew up at Google.”

Suleyman’s primary objective in his new role at Microsoft is to enhance the quality of Copilot, a tool that already has millions of users and they love it. In the podcast, Suleyman shared future plans for the AI ​​chatbot which include plans to enhance Copilot’s memory and personalization capabilities, with the goal of creating an AI that can remember everything about its users and serve as a constant, supportive presence. “Your AI should remember everything about you, your full context, all your personal data, everything you’ve said and be there to support you and help you and be your companion throughout your life. That’s what we’re going to focus on,” Microsoft’s AI boss explained.

Interestingly, before joining Microsoft, Suleiman had co-founded Inflection AI in 2022, which was later acquired by Microsoft. However, his journey as a professional began in London, where he was born to a Syrian taxi driver and an English nurse. Despite economic challenges, he showed early leadership potential, eventually enrolling at Oxford University to study philosophy and theology.

However, in just his second year, he co-founded the Muslim Youth Helpline, a telephone counselling service that became one of the UK’s leading mental health support platforms. His commitment to social causes also included roles at the United Nations, the World Wide Fund for Nature and the Dutch government, where he addressed issues ranging from conflict resolution to mental health advocacy.

In 2010, Suleyman co-founded DeepMind and following DeepMind’s acquisition by Google in 2014, Suleyman played a key role in advancing AI products and policy. His work at Google included innovative applications of AI, such as reducing energy consumption in data centers, reflecting his commitment to sustainable technology solutions. Now with his extensive background and vision, Suleyman is focused on leading Microsoft’s AI division into a new era of innovation and personalized technology.