Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella isn’t just talking about AI — he’s living it. And one of the clearest signs is how he’s replaced his daily podcast routine with conversations powered by Copilot, Microsoft’s own AI assistant.
In a recent Bloomberg profile spotlighting Microsoft’s ambitious AI roadmap, Nadella revealed that instead of listening to podcasts during his commute, he uploads their transcripts into Copilot. Then, while driving, he chats with the AI about the key ideas, themes, and arguments from those episodes. It’s a striking example of how deeply integrated AI has become in his day-to-day life — not just as a corporate strategy, but as a personal productivity tool.
This isn’t just a cool executive flex. It’s a preview of how Microsoft envisions the future of work: more conversational, more AI-driven, and much less about passively consuming content. Nadella’s use of Copilot to digest information, rather than just listen to it, suggests a shift in how leaders — and soon, entire workforces — interact with knowledge.
And he’s not stopping at podcasts.
Nadella described his job, somewhat playfully, as being an “email typist.” But he also noted that Copilot is changing that too. He currently uses over 10 custom-built AI agents created within Copilot Studio. These agents summarize messages, prep briefing notes, flag urgent updates, and even help organize his calendar. It’s like having a personalized team of digital assistants — all powered by Microsoft’s own tech.
Behind this shift is a broader transformation inside Microsoft. The company has been rapidly integrating AI across all of its products — from Teams and Outlook to Azure and GitHub. Earlier this year, Nadella made headlines when he said AI now writes nearly 30% of Microsoft’s internal codebase, upending how engineering teams operate.
That figure became even more significant after Microsoft’s recent wave of layoffs, which disproportionately affected software engineers. The implication is clear: Microsoft sees generative AI not just as a tool for productivity, but as a foundation for reshaping its workforce and how software is built.
What makes Nadella’s use of Copilot notable is that it goes beyond hype. He’s not just promoting a vision of the future — he’s living it. His daily routines now run on Copilot. Podcasts become interactive dialogues. Emails are processed by intelligent agents. Meeting prep is automated. And all of this is powered by Microsoft’s own AI ecosystem.
For Nadella, AI is no longer something you just build and sell. It’s something you use — and in doing so, you redefine how work gets done.
