Microsoft CEO Nadella: The best way to avoid being replaced by AI is to learn this new skill

Tech Home, March 9 — Generative artificial intelligence has almost transformed every aspect of our lives—both good and bad. On the positive side, it is driving breakthroughs in medicine and reshaping education. But it also raises serious concerns, from job security to survival risks.

Tech Home notes that last year, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates stated that AI is expected to replace humans in most fields. Recently, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella warned in the OMR podcast that AI-driven workforce replacement is imminent, emphasizing that those who fail to master this technology will face the risk of being eliminated.

Nadella added, “I’m not saying job losses won’t happen; we must be clear about that.” Interestingly, this executive said that thanks to AI, anyone can now become a software developer.

Nadella also said, “Today, everyone can do software development, but this also raises the bar— to use these new tools efficiently, you need higher professional skills to ensure that the generated code isn’t an incomprehensible ‘black box.’”

He also emphasized the importance of “self-retraining” to keep up with the impact of AI on the job market.

Nadella compared the current AI era to the personal computer revolution of the early 1980s—when few predicted that billions of people and organizations would use personal computers to boost productivity and efficiency. He summarized, “The best way to avoid being replaced is to understand the new skills required by this new medium and tool, and to transform oneself.”

In February this year, Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft’s AI division, claimed that AI would automate “the vast majority (if not all)” of white-collar jobs within 18 months: “I believe AI will reach human levels in most (if not all) professional tasks. Whether it’s lawyers, accountants, project managers, or marketers—these white-collar jobs done in front of a computer—most will be fully automated by AI within the next 12 to 18 months.”

Additionally, according to Futurism, a new research paper warns that overusing AI at work may lead to “brain fatigue,” affecting the productivity of high-performing team members.

Moreover, a Microsoft study shows that excessive use of AI tools like Copilot can weaken critical thinking and even harm mental abilities. Another study by MIT Media Lab and OpenAI found that users overly dependent on ChatGPT are more prone to feelings of loneliness. Under these phenomena, negative perceptions of AI are likely to continue intensifying.