AI could replace managers, says Microsoft's Sharma
Asha Sharma, corporate vice president for Microsoft's AI platform, thinks artificial intelligence might shake up how companies are run.
On Lenny's Podcast, she shared, "The org chart starts to become the work chart," suggesting that AI agents could make many traditional management roles obsolete.
Microsoft and Google's job cuts
Sharma's comments come just months after Microsoft cut 6,000 jobs in May 2025 and trimmed management layers to make teams more agile.
Google made a similar move this year, cutting back its small-team managers by 35%.
Sharma points out that as companies flatten their structures, they'll need smart ways to assign tasks and keep tabs on how well AI agents are doing.
Personal AI tools in the workplace
Sharma imagines a workplace where people bring their own personal AI tools to boost productivity and make meetings smoother.
With Amazon and Intel also simplifying their management setups lately, it looks like the classic company hierarchy is getting a major tech upgrade.