Microsoft Copilot boss Mustafa Suleyman to chase superintelligence

Jacob Andreou takes reins in latest reshuffle

Microsoft has rearranged the deckchairs on the RMS Copilot, sending Mustafa Suleyman to seek out superintelligence, and putting Jacob Andreou in charge of Copilot across consumer and commercial.

Suleyman, a DeepMind veteran who was appointed CEO of Microsoft AI by Satya Nadella in 2024, spent his entire tenure talking up Copilot, unveiling creepy animated avatars, insisting all was well with the OpenAI deal as Microsoft quietly developed its own models, and exclaiming "Jeez there are so many cynics!" at a public skeptical of AI.

Copilot has yet to set the market alight despite Microsoft crowbarring the assistant into as many places as it can find (at least until recently) and Suleyman is now making what looks for all intents and purposes like a sideways move to focus on superintelligence and delivery of "world-class models for Microsoft over the next five years."

Suleyman had already announced he was heading up a new superintelligence team in November, so the reorganization frees him from the pesky need to show a return on AI investments.

Andreou, previously Corporate VP for Product and Growth at Microsoft AI, will report directly to Nadella, though Suleyman says he'll "stay directly involved in much of the day-to-day operation," attending meetings and supporting product strategy. Both will sit on a newly established Copilot Leadership Team alongside Charles Lamanna, Perry Clarke, and Ryan Roslansky.

Suleyman also acknowledged "the sacrifices many of you have made to help the company adapt to this new era" – cold comfort to anyone affected by the multiple waves of layoffs at Microsoft in recent years.

As former Microsoft staffer Ned Pyle posted in July last year: "How many billions must be burned in the AI furnace before this stops?"

Suleyman concluded today that the restructuring would "enable me to focus all my energy on our Superintelligence efforts," and that Microsoft has "an incredible opportunity to redefine" itself for "this agentic revolution."

Another restructure at Microsoft a week ago was triggered by the confirmation of company veteran Rajesh Jha's retirement. Jha is Microsoft Executive Vice President (EVP) for Experiences and Devices. ®