Microsoft AI chief calls Musk a 'bulldozer,' Sam Altman 'courageous'
What's the story
Mustafa Suleyman, the head of Microsoft's AI division, has shared his views on some of the most influential figures in the tech industry. In a recent interview with Bloomberg, he described Elon Musk as a "bulldozer" and praised OpenAI CEO Sam Altman for his courage. The comments come as part of a broader discussion about government regulation in AI and Suleyman's former DeepMind co-founder Demis Hassabis.
Musk's persona
Suleyman's take on Musk
When asked to describe Musk in a word, Suleyman said he is a "bulldozer." He explained this by saying that Musk has "superhuman capabilities to bend reality to his will" and an impressive track record. Suleyman also appreciated Musk for his unfiltered honesty, saying he likes that "he speaks his mind."
Regulation stance
Suleyman advocates for AI regulation
Suleyman also weighed in on the need for government regulation in the AI space. He said, "I believe that government plays an important role in society." Despite it being a controversial opinion in Silicon Valley, he stressed that regulation is necessary and has improved most technologies. This statement highlights his belief in the importance of oversight to ensure responsible development and deployment of AI technologies.
Altman's impact
Praise for Altman: A 'courageous' entrepreneur
Suleyman had high praise for OpenAI's Sam Altman, calling him "courageous." He noted that Altman is aggressively expanding his data center fleet and could be one of the greatest entrepreneurs of this generation. Suleyman said, "I think now he's building data centers at a faster rate than I think anyone in the industry. And if he can pull it off, it will be pretty dramatic."
Former co-founder
Suleyman's relationship with Hassabis
Suleyman, a former co-founder of DeepMind with Demis Hassabis, still keeps in touch with his old colleague. He congratulated Hassabis on the recent launch of Gemini 3 and Nano Banana Pro models. When asked to describe Hassabis, Suleyman said he is "probably a great scientist" and "a good polymath." He added that they've been very close friends who worked together every day for 10 years.