Microsoft’s AI chief Mustafa Suleyman has warned that artificial intelligence could automate most white-collar tasks within the next 12 to 18 months, in comments
made during an interview with the Financial Times.
Suleyman told the publication that Microsoft is pushing deeper into the enterprise market with what he described as “professional-grade AGI” — artificial intelligence capable of performing almost everything a human professional does. The aim, he suggested, is to equip clients with powerful AI systems that can take over routine knowledge work.
“White-collar jobs – those sitting in front of computers, whether lawyers, accountants, project managers, or marketers – most of these tasks will be fully automated by AI within the next 12 to 18 months,” Suleyman said in the interview.
He added that creating new AI models in the future would become dramatically simpler. “Creating a new model will be as simple as making a podcast or writing a blog. In the future, it will be possible to design AI tailored to the needs of every institution and individual on Earth,” he said.
According to the Financial Times, Suleyman also indicated that Microsoft intends to reduce its reliance on OpenAI following a revised partnership agreement. “We decided that this was a moment when we have to set about delivering on true AI self-sufficiency,” he said, hinting that new in-house models could debut in 2026.
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Separately, an India Today report on the said interview, highlighted Suleyman’s view that AI agents could, within two to three years, efficiently manage workflows across large institutions. The publication noted that his remarks come amid rising corporate adoption of AI tools, with implications for sectors ranging from consulting and law to information technology services.
