A fireside with Satya Nadella on June 17, 2025 at AI Startup School in San Francisco.

Satya Nadella started at Microsoft in 1992 as an engineer. Three decades later, he’s now Chairman & CEO, navigating the company through one of the most profound technological shifts yet: the rise of AI.

In this conversation, he shares how Microsoft is thinking about this moment— from the infrastructure needed to train frontier models, to the social permission required to use that compute. He draws parallels to the early PC and internet eras, breaks down what makes a great team, and reflects on what he’d build if he were starting his career today.

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Chapters:
01:06 - AI's Role in Microsoft's Strategy
02:07 - Platform Shifts and Economic Growth
03:56 - Building the Next Generation of Apps
07:25 - Energy Consumption and Social Responsibility
10:46 - Transforming Knowledge Work with AI
15:38 - The Future of AI and Algorithmic Breakthroughs
17:47 - AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement
21:10 - The Role of Design and Software Engineering
30:45 - Leadership and Teamwork at Microsoft
36:16 - Quantum Computing and AI
38:31 - Advice for the Next Generation