Most white-collar jobs to be automated in 12-18 months: Microsoft AI Chief

https://www.lokmattimes.com/technology/most-white-collar-jobs-to-be-automated-in-12-18-months-microsoft-ai-chief-1/

Publish Date: 2026-02-13 01:56:00

Certainly, here are the key points from the article presented in an unordered list, following the requirements for politeness, respect, and adherence to Media Outlets policy:

AI Automation Warning: Mustafa Suleyman, Chief of artificial intelligence at Microsoft, warns that most white-collar jobs relying on computers, such as those in law, accounting, project management, and marketing, could be automated within the next 12 to 18 months by advanced AI systems.
Professional-Grade AGI Development: Microsoft is in the process of developing “professional-grade AGI” (Artificial General Intelligence) that would replicate the vast majority of tasks performed by human professionals.
Impact on Knowledge-Based Professions: The shift in AI technology is expected to bring about significant structural displacement across knowledge-based professions, moving beyond mere productivity gains to a fundamental change in how these roles operate.
Enterprise Market Strategy: Microsoft is focusing on capturing a larger share of the enterprise market by automating routine and repeatable tasks, which currently require skilled employees, such as document drafting, data analysis, and project coordination.
Independent AI Models: Suleyman mentioned that creating AI models tailored to specific institutional or individual needs could be as straightforward as making a podcast or writing a blog, implying a simplification in designing custom AI solutions.
Job Cuts in Tech Industry: Oracle plans to cut as many as 30,000 jobs to increase its AI data-centre capacity, while Amazon recently laid off around 16,000 employees as part of its AI restructuring.
AI’s Economic Contribution to India: A recent PwC India report predicts that artificial intelligence could contribute nearly $550 billion to India’s economy by 2035, especially in sectors like agriculture, education, energy, healthcare, and manufacturing.
India AI Mission: Launched in 2024, the India AI Mission is backed with $1.2 billion in funding to democratize access to computing resources, datasets, and talent development, underscoring a national commitment to advancing artificial intelligence.