Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is redefining how the company builds artificial intelligence—by removing senior leadership from the conversation.
In a notable shift from traditional corporate culture, Nadella has introduced a weekly AI-focused meeting that excludes top executives from presenting. Instead, the forum is reserved for engineers and technical staff who are directly involved in developing Microsoft’s AI products. The idea is simple: hear straight from the people doing the actual work, without layers of management filtering the message.
This bottom-up model represents a sharp break from Microsoft’s long-standing hierarchy, where leadership meetings are typically dominated by polished executive briefings. Nadella believes that real innovation in AI requires raw, unedited input from frontline teams rather than curated summaries from managers.
Engineers take center stage in AI discussions
According to internal communications reviewed by Business Insider, Nadella has also created a dedicated Microsoft Teams channel to support this initiative. The setup is intentionally informal, encouraging open discussion, fast iteration, and honest feedback from across the organization. Sources describe the process as “messy” by design, aimed at accelerating progress in a rapidly evolving AI race.
For Nadella, the urgency is clear. Artificial intelligence is seen as both a massive opportunity and a serious competitive threat. As a result, Microsoft is being pushed to operate with heightened speed and focus, breaking away from conventional decision-making structures.
Leadership reshuffle to support AI-first vision
The new meeting format is part of a wider organizational overhaul. Nadella recently elevated sales head Judson Althoff to CEO of Microsoft’s commercial business, a move that allows Nadella to spend more time on technical and strategic AI initiatives.
In internal messages to senior leaders, Nadella has urged executives to think and behave like individual contributors rather than traditional managers. He emphasized the need for constant learning and adaptation as Microsoft navigates its AI-driven transformation.
The pressure is also personal. Nadella has reportedly held candid conversations with senior executives about their long-term commitment to the demanding work required for this shift. Those unwilling to match the pace may need to reconsider their roles.
Notably, Nadella has adjusted his outlook on Microsoft’s AI journey, moving from describing it as being in the “early innings” to now calling it the “middle innings”—a sign that he is fully committed to seeing the AI overhaul through to its conclusion.