Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the tech industry, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella reportedly wants his company to lead this change. It appears that Nadella is planning to double down on AI and is making it clear that those who are not committed to this transformation can leave the tech giant.

Satya Nadella has reportedly given an ultimatum on AI changes

According to Business Insider, internal documents and communications from Microsoft show that Nadella has asked his employees, including senior executives, to join this change or consider leaving the company. Microsoft leaders are changing the way the company operates at every level to stay ahead of its rivals in the AI ​​race.

According to the report, Nadella sees AI not only as an existential threat, but also as a generational opportunity and a defining moment for Microsoft. He has ordered sweeping organizational changes, asking teams to work faster and more efficiently and consolidating power around AI leadership.

In recent weeks, Microsoft’s CEO has been increasing urgency when it comes to doubling down on AI. Senior executives have reportedly been informed that they may leave Microsoft if they are not ready for this change.

Inside Microsoft, the pressure to adapt is being formalized through new internal directives. Nadella has announced new orders for senior leadership, urging corporate vice presidents and above to act like technical individual contributors, “constantly learning and relearning.”

Satya Nadella is changing the way Microsoft operates for AI

To focus more deeply on technical AI work, Satya Nadella appointed Judson Althoff as commercial CEO of the company this year. “This will allow our engineering leaders and me to focus on our highest ambition technical work in our datacenter buildout, systems architecture, AI science and product innovation – to lead with intensity and speed in this generational platform shift,” he wrote in an internal memo.

Nadella has also reportedly launched a weekly AI accelerator meeting and Teams channel to accelerate the pace of AI work and encourage employee participation at all levels. In these sessions, lower-level technical employees are encouraged to share insights directly rather than hearing from senior executives.

The report says Nadella now says the company is in the “middle innings” of AI rather than the “early innings”, and wants to see the game through to the end. Some experienced leaders, such as Rajesh Jha, who runs Office and Windows, are reportedly considering retirement, although an immediate leadership change is not expected.