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Mustafa Suleyman is now CEO of Microsoft AI following Microsoft’s “acquisition” of Inflection AI, a company Suleyman co-founded after leaving Google of DeepMind, an AI company previously acquired by Google.

Following the news of Inflection’s move to Microsoft, Suleyman spoke at TED in April to share his view on the long-game of AI and it is captivating.

First, I need to observe his incredible gift to make a complex and even scary topic like AI approachable by a mainstream audience while also possessing the technical skills to actually build the future.

Suleyman positions AI in a light that challenges us to think beyond the boundaries of known realms in which we’ve operated our entire careers. Instead, he introduces AI as becoming and also unlocking something entirely new. He likens it to a new digital species, a personal being that exists to help each and every one of us expand our capabilities and horizons, to think of AI as a cognitive exoskeleton, to help perform and grow exponentially and achieve outcomes not possible or even imaginable before.

“AI is to the mind what nuclear fusion is to energy,” he said. “Limitless. Abundant. World-changing.”

I think that’s really the crux of what makes this moment so monumental. We weren’t prepared for how to respond to AI’s sudden disruption, say, in the way we’ve been trained to respond in other scenarios and experiences.

So be it.

This is our moment to rise up, embrace change, and become part of a new genre of leaders who are willing to see the world anew and to humbly embrace curiosity, imagination, and boldness. This is how we take our shot.

“AI really is different,” Suleyman explained. “That means we have to think about it creatively and honestly. We have to push our analogies and metaphors to the very limits to be able to grapple with what’s coming.”

We don’t know what we don’t know. For some, that is finding and succumbing to their boundaries. For others, it is the gateway toward exploration into the unknown. Somewhere out there, on the other side of curiosity, bravery, and hope, are discoveries, experiences, and ultimately, innovation,

“This is not just another invention,” Suleyman exclaimed. “AI itself is an infinite inventor.”

While there are many pearls of wisdom from his 20 minute talk, it is his finale that struck a personal chord.

“AI is us. It’s all of us. As we build out AI, we can and must reflect all that is good, all that we love, all that is special about humanity…our empathy, our kindness, our curiosity, and our creativity. This, I would argue, is the greatest challenge of the 21st century, but also the most wonderful, inspiring and hopeful opportunity for all of us.”

It’s time to grow.

It's World Creativity and Innovation Day. This is a reminder of the importance of human creativity, especially in an era of artificial intelligence. Creativity is the foundation of innovation.https://t.co/bOilgWKMz5#WCID https://t.co/QqmHFykc3b

— Brian Solis (@briansolis) April 21, 2024

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