Microsoft AI Chief Warns: White-Collar Jobs Face Rapid Automation Wave in 18 Months

• Microsoft AI chief Mustafa Suleyman warns AI could automate significant white-collar work within 12-18 months.
• Microsoft is developing "professional-grade AGI" to handle routine knowledge-based tasks for enterprises.
• AI agents are being built to execute multi-step workflows independently, including drafting contracts and analyzing financial data.
• Industry restructuring is already underway, with companies like Salesforce cutting roles due to AI-driven efficiency.
• Microsoft plans to expand proprietary AI model development, reducing reliance on OpenAI, with a global rollout by 2026.