The Microsoft Build conference is underway and it’s all things AI. It’s aimed at developers, so I’m only paying attention to the parts that will impact us as business users.

Here’s a sneak peak at how Copilot can work in Windows, Word and Teams. The corporate world just doesn’t move as fast as the AI world, so we are all in for an interesting journey.

Remember too that their demos are all done with the best equipment in the world. Us mere mortals have old laptops, slow internet, (and no electricity in South Africa). After a few months deep diving the AI world, my laptop crashed; so manage your expectations accordingly.

Satya Nadella asked why we build technology at all. He says we don’t build just for economic growth. He says we want economic growth so that all people everywhere can be uplifted. He says that’s why technology exists, for that broader impact.

On some level this is true, but we must be mindful that everything we see is inverted. Every single sales pitch by the big boys has a hidden meaning. He says: “This time round, this technology reaches everybody. It reaches 8 billion people and not some small group of people”.

When you turn that around it can read – this time round, this technology controls everybody. That it enslaves 8 billion people for the benefit of a small group of people.

Both outcomes are a possibility.

Every single one of us has a responsibility to decide how AI is going to affect our species. The AI models are learning from every one of us right now.

What are you going to teach them? You have more power than you know. So in Microsoft’s own words ….