(Image source from: Fortune.com)

The leader of Microsoft’s AI department, Mustafa Suleyman, has given a serious warning: office jobs could disappear or be taken over by machines in the next 12 to 18 months, affecting accountants, lawyers, and marketers. Suleyman’s statement highlights what tech experts like Dario Amodei have been suggesting for the past few years—that AI will soon take over tasks that people have traditionally done. He shared with the Financial Times that jobs in accounting, legal, marketing, and project management are at risk of being taken over or automated by AI. He noted that software developers are already using AI tools to assist with a significant amount of their daily work. Suleyman also mentioned to the Financial Times that AI will likely be able to carry out most white-collar duties performed by humans by 2027. He pointed out the fast increase in computing power as an alarming indication that AI could displace many professionals. As computer capabilities improve, he mentioned that AI systems might soon surpass most human programmers in coding tasks. Shumer and OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman have expressed their worries—and even sadness—about how fast AI is making decades of human skills seem outdated.

While AI is mainly being adopted now to boost efficiency, Suleyman thinks the technology is quickly shifting from supporting humans to fully taking over portions of their jobs. He stated that in the next two to three years, AI “agents” could start managing workflows in businesses, organizing tasks, and making decisions with minimal human assistance. Suleyman also forecasted that creating AI systems will soon become much more straightforward and widely accepted. Comparing it to making digital content, he explained that designing a personalized AI model might eventually be as easy as starting a podcast or writing a blog, letting companies and individuals create AI tools that suit their specific requirements.