'You can't call it progress': Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella warns against concentration of AI power

# 'You can't call it progress': Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella warns against concentration of AI power Source: [https://www.firstpost.com/tech/you-cant-call-it-progress-microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-warns-against-concentration-of-ai-power-14025004.html](https://www.firstpost.com/tech/you-cant-call-it-progress-microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-warns-against-concentration-of-ai-power-14025004.html) As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly central to business and society, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is cautioning against a future in which a small number of companies control the technology and determine how it develops\. Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Nadella argued that AI’s trajectory should not be dictated by a handful of industry leaders, warning that the concentration of power raises broader questions around economic disruption, safety and access\. Although he did not mention specific rivals, his remarks come at a time when companies including OpenAI, Anthropic and Google are competing aggressively to build ever more capable AI systems and the massive infrastructure required to support them\. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Nadella suggested that the industry risks losing sight of the wider consequences of the technology if discussions focus solely on scaling models and expanding computing capacity\. “You can’t say, hey, all white\-collar jobs are gone, and this could even be a weapon, and we will use all the power to build data centres,” he said\. He followed the remark with a broader warning about concentration in the industry, adding, “You cannot hand the world’s curiosity to a handful of companies and call it progress\.” The comments offer a glimpse into how Microsoft’s leader views the next phase of AI development, even as his company remains one of the biggest investors in the technology\. Nadella said AI should evolve in a way that allows businesses and users to exercise greater choice, rather than becoming dependent on a limited number of providers\. He has increasingly advocated for an approach in which AI models become more like commodities, enabling organisations to select systems based on performance and cost rather than being locked into one ecosystem\. That philosophy is beginning to show up in Microsoft’s own products\. The company has recently introduced lower\-cost AI models aimed at reducing computing expenses and has expanded capabilities within Copilot, allowing users to switch between different underlying models\. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD According to Nadella, the gains from AI should be spread more widely across society rather than remaining concentrated among a few technology companies\. “We now have to do the hard work in earning the social permission,” he told The Wall Street Journal, arguing that developers, businesses and workers should all have the opportunity to benefit from advances in the field\. ## Human expertise will remain crucial The Microsoft chief’s comments echo themes he explored in an essay published on June 14, in which he argued that the growth of AI\-driven capital and human capital must remain closely aligned\. In that essay, Nadella warned that allowing the value created by AI to outpace gains for workers and society could deepen existing inequalities instead of reducing them\. Rather than viewing AI as a replacement for people, he said organisations should redesign the way work is carried out so that humans and machines complement one another\. In such a world, he argued, the distinguishing factor for companies will not simply be access to AI tools, but the knowledge, expertise and experience possessed by their employees\. The debate arrives at a time when concerns over the concentration of AI capabilities are growing alongside unprecedented investment in data centres and advanced chips\. While the race to build bigger and more powerful models continues, Nadella’s message suggests that the industry’s long\-term success may depend not only on technical breakthroughs, but also on ensuring that the benefits of AI are shared far beyond Silicon Valley\. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD **First Published:**June 22, 2026, 15:43 IST End of Article