Microsoft AI chief executive Mustafa Suleyman has cautioned that artificial intelligence may replace a significant share of white-collar work in the next 12 to 18 months, signaling a faster labor shift than previously anticipated.
In a video interview with the Financial Times, he said most computer-based roles, including those in law, accounting, marketing, and project management, face large-scale task automation as AI systems develop fast.
“White-collar jobs, essentially those sitting in front of computers, will see most of their tasks automated,” Suleyman said, describing the change as global in scope.
The remarks come as Microsoft sharpens its focus on the enterprise market with what Suleyman called ‘professional-grade AGI’, systems designed to perform a wide range of knowledge-worker functions.
Such tools, he said, would allow companies to delegate routine workflows to AI, thus helping to cut costs and reshape organizational structures.
The strategy also supports Microsoft’s long-term goal of developing its internal model capabilities while decreasing its dependence on OpenAI.
Microsoft plans to take its homegrown AI models to market in 2026, Suleyman said, as layoffs, financial pressures, and industry momentum redraw its strategy.
His warning comes during a period when major technology companies are undergoing AI-related restructuring. Salesforce reportedly cut up to 1,000 roles as it deepened its AI transition, while Amazon, FedEx, and Ericsson also reported workforce adjustments. Companies use automation to improve productivity and increase their profit margins.
The future will bring automated AI model creation to Suleyman, which he compared to the simple process of starting a blog or podcast. Institutions will gain the ability to implement customized systems, which will later become accessible to individual users.
He predicted that within two to three years, AI agents will achieve the ability to oversee complete organizational processes from start to finish.
The comments demonstrate the increasing agreement among industry experts that artificial intelligence will create new work roles that require adaptation to automated cognitive processes by workers.