At just over a year oldMicrosoft AI is one of the tech giant’s newest experiments. The research laboratory oversees the firm’s consumer AI productswhich includes Microsoft Copilot—its Gen AI chatbot which runs on OpenAI’s large language models.
Yet Liz DanzicoMicrosoft AI’s vice-preisent of designnoted that not all of her design and research teamwhich numbers about 200 employees within the broader labweren’t AI-native.
“We created a goal for our organization—that every person in the studio will become AI-native by the end of the fiscal year,” Danzico said during the Fortune Brainstorm Design conference in Macau on Tuesday
Danzico said she helped put together an in-house AI course for her teamand that the response had been “tremendously positive.” AI has found its way into Microsoft AI’s products and internal communicationsand its workers have been “feeling more satisfied and energized about the possibilities with AI.”
They’ve also been less fearful and anxious about itDanzico saidafter “experimenting with multiple [AI] tools.”
As Microsoft AI—led by CEO Mustafa Suleyman—continues to expandDanzico also emphasized the importance of creating a workplace where workers are empowered to lean into uncertainty and embrace creativity.
“For diverse ideas to make it outpeople have to feel safe to voice themso [it is key to] make sure that that psychological safety is there,” she added.
Social impact
Besides spearheading AI rollout on platforms like Bing and Microsoft Edgethe broader company is exploring how to democratize access to AI in society.
In December 2023Microsoft inked a partnership with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)—the largest federation of labour unions in the U.S. This allows Microsoft to educate labour union workers on AI rolloutand convene summits where workers have a say in how their companies incorporate AI at work.
“That they [workers] are empowered to have that information—the ideas about what’s happening and unfurling in the market—is so importantso that when they go back to the bargaining tabletheir everyday jobsand the ways that they touch our everyday livesthey’re going to be informed,” said Danzico.
All in allMicrosoft AI’s work centers on creating AI for people and the greater good of societyDanzico explained. “What unites us all is our commitment to the userwhether the user is at their officeat their deskor working somewhere out in the wild.”
ClarificationDec. 32025: This article has been updated to note that Danzico’s comments referred to her design and research team at Microsoft AI.
