AI ‘a means, not an end’: Read Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s message to employees

Sam Altman chose OpenAI over Microsoft after a five-day drama following his ouster from the company. Reports said that he was removed due to a new artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm that had the potential to pose a threat to humanity. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella threw his weight behind the technology and sent a memo to employees saying that AI “is only a tool” that is “a means, not an end.”
In an internal memo to employees ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, Nadella thanked employees for ‘remaining focused on our mission.’ Read his internal message in full:
This week, many of us will pause to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday in the US, and I want to take a moment to say a big thank you to each of you for your hard work and contributions to our company.The pace of innovation that you have driven has been remarkable, especially during a time of so much continued hardship and uncertainty in the world. But technology, including Al, is only a tool. It’s a means, not an end. And, ultimately, our end is our mission to empower people and organizations all over the planet — one individual, one community, one country at a time. At the end of the day, the greatest privilege of my job is working with people who are driven by mission. There is no better example of this than this past 5 days, when I saw people across the company remaining focused on our mission and serving our customers and partners, stepping up to help in every way possible. This is what I’m especially thankful for going into the Thanksgiving holiday. I am deeply grateful for what you do every day and the difference it makes in the world. I feel lucky to count all of you as colleagues. To those who celebrate, have a great Thanksgiving

Microsoft CTO’s memo to employees
Nadella’s internal message came soon after company CTO Kevin Scott addressed the employees about the OpenAI turmoil. Sam Altman and Greg Brockman have returned to OpenAl with Sam as CEO, and the company appointed a new board of directors.
“The events of the past few days have been uncertain for our colleagues at OpenAl and of intense interest to many others. Throughout, nothing has changed or wavered about our resolve and focus to deliver the world’s best Al technology platforms and products to our customers and partners,” he said in a memo.
He also said that Microsoft will continue to support colleagues at OpenAl and work with Sam and his team. You can read Scott’s full memo here.