Thousands of attendees erupted in excitement inside a dimly lit conference hall that felt more like a rock concert when a Microsoft product manager showed off a new Excel feature: summing numbers with just one click.
“It was literally like Mick Jagger walked out,” recalled Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s Chief Marketing Officer for consumers, who started his journey at the company as an intern.
That memorable moment happened over three decades ago. Fast forward to Friday—Microsoft’s 50th anniversary—where employees and leaders gathered at its Redmond, Washington, headquarters to reflect on its legacy while spotlighting the path ahead: a bold future driven by artificial intelligence.
Microsoft’s AI assistant, Copilot, is being upgraded with new features that make it more anticipatory. For consumer users, it will begin remembering personal details to offer help—such as reminding them of birthdays or offering support before a presentation. These features are optional, Mehdi explained in an interview.
Copilot will also curate podcast content and shopping suggestions, and users will be able to delegate tasks like making reservations. “It frees you up,” Mehdi said.
Microsoft isn’t the first to release “agentic” or action-oriented AI. Like its competitors, the technology will work best on platforms where Microsoft has invested in backend integration—examples include 1-800-Flowers.com and OpenTable, Mehdi noted.
Reflecting on Microsoft’s early years, Mehdi remembered when the company was still growing. Bill Gates, the co-founder and then-CEO, was known for consuming the equivalent of three books of material in a single day, while still contributing to Microsoft’s software development. Mehdi also recalled Steve Ballmer, Gates’ eventual successor, energizing crowds with his iconic “developers, developers, developers!” chant while dripping in sweat.
Despite once dominating the tech scene, Microsoft faced a major setback in 1998 when it was hit with a high-profile antitrust lawsuit from U.S. regulators. Over time, it also saw rivals like Alphabet and OpenAI take the lead in AI innovation.
But under current CEO Satya Nadella, Microsoft has been regaining ground. At an internal summit this week, Nadella challenged his team: “How do we rethink the way that we build the software?”
He echoed that sentiment at Friday’s anniversary event in Redmond, where he appeared alongside Gates and Ballmer—marking a rare public reunion. Ballmer even brought back his famous “developers!” chant.
Nadella emphasized that the celebration wasn’t just about the past 50 years but about laying the groundwork for the future. “What we empower others to build” will define Microsoft moving forward, he said.
Gates added, “We’re on the verge of something even more profound than what came in those first 50 years.” When asked what he envisioned for Microsoft at its 100th anniversary, he replied with a grin: “I hope Copilot’s a good CEO.”
As Microsoft continues refining its chatbot technology amid competition from the likes of Elon Musk’s xAI and Anthropic, it has embedded Copilot into its business productivity tools and created a consumer-facing version with a unique touch.
“It’s warm; it has that personality,” Mehdi said. While some users appreciate that, others feel it can be a bit too inquisitive.
“When we start becoming more personalized,” Mehdi added, “we get smarter. We’re part way through that journey.”
