Microsoft Bolsters AI Leadership with Key Hires for New Consumer Initiatives

Microsoft has hired AI veterans Mustafa Suleyman and Karén Simonyan to lead new consumer AI initiatives, including the Copilot chatbot.

CEO Satya Nadella had previously offered a similar AI leadership role to OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman before Altman returned to OpenAI.

The hires show Microsoft's eagerness to bring top AI talent on board as it invests heavily in the field.

Suleyman will serve as EVP and CEO of the new Microsoft AI group overseeing Copilot, Bing, Edge, and more.

Microsoft retains close ties with OpenAI through its $10 billion partnership, giving it ongoing access to Altman's and OpenAI's AI capabilities.