How Microsoft quietly reinvented itself to build better AI

Kevin Scott, Microsoft's Chief Technology Officer for nearly a decade, shares his passion for craftsmanship. Like many woodworkers, he uses both hand tools and power tools to create his projects. He compares this to the current AI landscape, where companies are recognizing AI as just another tool to help them work efficiently.

Microsoft's commitment to AI is evident in its 71% adoption rate among developers, with millions of users storing their work on GitHub and utilizing Microsoft's developer platforms. This investment in AI has been instrumental in the company's products, but it's also changed the way the company itself operates.

In the 1980s, Microsoft coined the term "Eat your own dog food," emphasizing the importance of using the products you create. With generative AI, this principle has become even more crucial, as Microsoft works to make the technology both useful and profitable.

Microsoft's understanding of AI is deeply embedded in its developer base, which largely relies on its tools. However, the company has recently shifted its approach to building and delivering AI. Microsoft has taken a more disciplined and independent strategy, consolidating its various efforts into a unified "Copilot super app."

This app will serve both personal and business users, integrating AI across Microsoft's suite of products. By creating a single, cohesive AI experience, Microsoft aims to end the era of fragmented "Copilot-palooza" products.