Microsoft AI CEO Says Most White-Collar Jobs Could Be Automated Within 18 Months

Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman believes artificial intelligence could automate a large portion of white-collar work much sooner than many expected. According to comments highlighted by Windows Central, Suleyman said AI may reach human-level performance across many computer-based professional tasks within the next 12 to 18 months.

The warning adds to growing concerns across the tech industry about how quickly AI systems are evolving. Suleyman specifically mentioned jobs such as lawyers, accountants, project managers, and marketing professionals as roles potentially vulnerable to automation.

Microsoft sees rapid AI progress ahead

The concern centers around repetitive digital work. Tasks involving document analysis, reporting, coding, scheduling, presentations, research, or workflow management may become increasingly automated as AI models improve.

Suleyman believes advances in computing power and AI model capabilities are accelerating faster than expected. He argued that future AI systems may eventually outperform most humans at coding and other technical computer-based tasks.

That prediction aligns with broader industry expectations from several major tech leaders. Jensen Huang, Matt Garman, Bill Gates, and Dario Amodei have all previously warned that AI could significantly reshape knowledge-based work.

At the same time, Microsoft continues expanding its AI ambitions. The company has reportedly explored acquiring more AI startups while continuing to integrate Copilot features across Windows and Microsoft 365 products.

However, not everyone believes the strategy is succeeding. Former Microsoft executive Mat Velloso recently claimed Copilot adoption remains far below expectations despite Microsoft’s aggressive AI push.

AI companies continue investing heavily in deployment and infrastructure despite growing concerns around adoption and profitability. OpenAI recently announced a new company focused on AI deployment, signaling that the AI race is still accelerating.