In a wide-ranging conversation in Davos, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella spoke about artificial intelligence and the future of computing and consumer technology. And even on the other side of the world at CES, he was impressed by the Rabbit R1’s debut.
“I thought the demo of Rabbit OS and the device was fantastic,” he said. bloomberg. “I have to say it was probably one of the most impressive presentations I’ve seen since Jobs and the launch of the iPhone.”
AI-based standalone hardware has drawn mixed reactions, from those who think the device is groundbreaking to skeptics who don’t understand why people don’t use smartphones. Nadella considers himself one of the former.
Nadella commented on the state of AI and how the technology is changing as new, more powerful models and products emerge, with Rabbit heralding a future in which all user interactions are handled by an agent-driven operating system rather than individual apps. I suggested doing so.
“To me, the relationship we all have with our computers is now with the agents that are on all of your computers,” he said. “I think this will be the defining category for the next generation.”
Rabbit R1 runs what the manufacturer calls a Large Action Model, which allows it to understand websites and learn and execute tasks for users. Despite the minimal details and numerous questions about everything from how user interaction occurs to the overall business model, the device sold out in an hour.
In addition to Rabbit, Nadell has covered various aspects of integrating AI into everyday life and business. He pointed to the transformative role of AI in accelerating progress in science, especially fields such as chemistry and biology.
“The most exciting thing to me is what AI will do for science: Compress 250 years of chemistry into 25 years,” he said in a separate talk in Davos hosted by the WEF. AI’s ability to find new materials emphasized. , discover new biological procedures and advance science.
Nadella also said that Microsoft is not particularly affected by the US-China AI war.
“China is not big business for Microsoft,” he said. “Basically, we do business in China to support other multinational companies doing business in China.”
However, he warned of potential sanctions on AI-related imports and exports.
“The worst mistake any civilization or any society can make is to cut itself off from knowledge being generated elsewhere,” he emphasized.
The Microsoft CEO also reflected on the company’s successful partnership with OpenAI, describing it as a symbiotic relationship that mutually reinforces the strengths of each company.
“Open AI and Microsoft… I think this is a partnership based on each of us really strengthening each other’s work,” he said. Nadella drew parallels with historical collaborations with the likes of Intel and Microsoft and SQL Server and SAP, making it clear that the tech giant has every intention of deepening its partnership with OpenAI. However, the partnership between OpenAI and Microsoft is being investigated by regulators around the world. . Nadella said the two companies sparked the entire AI revolution and that antitrust action should not be tailored to the scale of the companies involved. He said the story of the AI and technology industry today would have been very different if Microsoft had not taken the gamble and invested in OpenAI at an early stage.
“If Microsoft hadn’t made a very risky bet… we wouldn’t have what we have.” He concluded.
Edited by Ryan Ozawa.