NEW DELHI, India — A majority of white-collar jobs that rely on computer-based work could be automated within the next 12 to 18 months, according to a warning from Microsoft’s chief of artificial intelligence, Mustafa Suleyman.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Suleyman said Microsoft is racing to develop what he described as a “professional-grade artificial general intelligence,” capable of performing most tasks currently handled by lawyers, accountants, project managers, and marketing professionals.
“White-collar work, where you’re sitting down at a computer, either being a lawyer or an accountant or a project manager or a marketing person, most of those tasks will be fully automated by an AI within the next 12 to 18 months,” Suleyman was quoted as saying.
He said the shift underway in artificial intelligence goes far beyond incremental productivity improvements and is likely to result in structural displacement across knowledge-based professions. Microsoft’s strategy, he added, is focused on capturing a larger share of the enterprise market by automating routine and repeatable tasks such as document drafting, data analysis, and project coordination — functions that currently require skilled professionals.
Suleyman also said Microsoft plans to expand its own AI model development to reduce reliance on OpenAI, following revisions to the partnership agreement between the two companies. He suggested that building custom AI systems will soon become far easier, comparing the process to creating a podcast or writing a blog, allowing institutions and individuals to tailor AI tools to their specific needs.
The comments come amid broader workforce restructuring across the global technology sector as companies ramp up AI investments. Oracle is reportedly planning to cut between 20,000 and 30,000 jobs as it expands its AI data center capacity, while Amazon has announced layoffs affecting about 16,000 employees as part of its AI-led restructuring.
In India, the economic impact of artificial intelligence is expected to be substantial. A recent PwC India report projected that AI could contribute nearly $550 billion to the country’s economy by 2035 across five priority sectors: agriculture, education, energy, healthcare, and manufacturing.
India’s AI Mission, launched in 2024 with funding of $1.2 billion, aims to expand access to computing infrastructure, datasets, and talent development to accelerate AI adoption nationwide. (Source: IANS)
