Microsoft has recently made a significant hire for its AI supercomputing team, bringing on board former Meta executive Jason Taylor. Taylor will be taking on the role of Corporate Vice President and Deputy CEO at Microsoft, reporting to CTO Kevin Scott.
Scott expressed his excitement about Taylor joining Microsoft, highlighting his experience in infrastructure, AI, data, and privacy infrastructure during his time at Meta. Taylor’s impressive track record includes overseeing a large portion of Meta’s infrastructure and managing the company’s server budgets. He also chaired the Open Compute Project Foundation, advocating for open-source designs in data centers.
Microsoft’s AI ambitions have been on full display in recent months, with the launch of its flagship productivity assistant, Copilot. The company has been pushing forward with its AI initiatives, aiming to make 2024 the year of the AI PC. As part of this campaign, Microsoft has introduced a new Copilot key that will ship on new PCs and laptops designed by its partners. This key grants users instant access to Windows Copilot with a single button press.
In addition to hardware developments, Microsoft has also expanded Copilot’s availability, removing the seat minimum for Microsoft 365 users. This move opens up the AI-powered productivity tool to enterprises of any size, making it more accessible to small and medium-sized businesses.
Furthermore, Microsoft has appointed Mustafa Suleyman as the CEO of Microsoft AI, overseeing consumer and business-centric AI products and services. Suleyman will join Microsoft’s senior leadership team, reporting directly to CEO Satya Nadella. The company has also launched an AI hub in London, led by AI scientist Jordan Hoffmann, to tap into the UK’s pool of AI talent.
Overall, Microsoft’s continued investment in AI underscores its commitment to pushing the boundaries of technology and innovation. With key hires like Jason Taylor and strategic moves in the AI space, Microsoft is poised to lead the way in shaping the future of artificial intelligence.
