Taking on a New Role at Microsoft

I am excited to share that I have accepted a new role as Microsoft’s Chief Scientific Officer. The focus of the chief scientist position is to provide cross-company leadership on advances and trends related to scientific matters and on important issues and opportunities rising at the intersection of science, technology, and society. I’m looking forward to the chance to more deeply shape our company’s activities, focus of attention, investments, and understandings of how today’s efforts and near-term plans relate to trends—and potential surprises—on the horizon.

The role combines three of my passions: Advancing the frontiers of our scientific understanding, harnessing technical advances to empower people and organizations in new ways, and leveraging our best interpretations of the future to help guide our near-term investments. These three passions have been drivers of my research in AI. I’ll be continuing to invest intensive effort on AI principles, applications, and directions. In addition, my office will focus attention on other fast-moving areas like biology, medical informatics, physics, sustainability, economics, and the social and behavioral sciences. I’ll be relying on the deep connections I have at Microsoft to inform my efforts and to engage in new initiatives. Just as critical, I’ll be engaging with colleagues across the world, and with key agencies and organizations spanning government, civil society, and academia.

It has been an inspiration and an honor for me to lead Microsoft Research for the past three years and be a part of this amazing group of talented and passionate people for over 25 years. I am proud of the progress we’ve made together to be even more ambitious, strengthen our foundations, and to lead on ground-breaking work. Our impact at Microsoft and in the world has never been greater. I will be collaborating closely with my colleagues at Microsoft Research in my new role. I am now passing the baton to Peter Lee, who will take on the leadership of the labs, in addition to his current healthcare and incubation responsibilities. I’m excited about next steps as Microsoft’s Chief Scientific Officer.