“Be a learn-it-all, not a know-it-all.” That was one of the first things Satya Nadella said when we sat down for a fireside chat at TiECON 2025, and it set the tone for everything that followed.
We covered a lot of ground: AI, data center systems, cricket, physical AI, future of AI in physical sciences, quantum computing, copilots, agents, agentic web, and his favorite AI app. But what stood out most was Satya’s clarity on staying relevant and building enduring companies.
Empathy and Culture: The Hidden Drivers of Innovation
He talked about empathy not just as a leadership trait, but as a core innovation skill. You must care deeply to spot unarticulated needs and see the world through others’ eyes — whether it’s your users, team, or customers. Empathy, he said, is how great companies are built.
Satya reminded us that behind every lasting company is culture. “You need culture long before capability becomes conventional wisdom,” he said. Culture creates the conditions for learning, assembling complementary skill sets, and doing the hard things before the rest of the world sees the opportunity. Without it, new ideas and capabilities don’t stick.
Six Takeaways for Founders Building in the AI Era:
We’re not in just one AI revolution but several S curves, all compounding simultaneously. Moore’s Law may have been declared dead a few years ago, but Satya argues it’s being reborn through AI accelerators, GPUs, and architectural innovation. Every layer of the technology stack, from chips and cooling to model design, data, middleware, and apps, is being reimagined.
This is a golden era for deep tech builders. If you’re building infrastructure, this is your time. Nothing in the stack is sacred. “When you’re in the infra business,” Satya said, “fall in love with the next-generation workload — then rewire everything around it.”
Software won’t just be something we use; it’ll come to us. With agents like Copilot and Researcher, the interface is shifting. “Instead of going to software, software will come to you.” Agents, copilots, and digital teammates will interact with SaaS platforms. We’ll interact with apps through intelligent layers, not tabs and dashboards. That changes not just UX, it reshapes how SaaS companies need to think about pricing, integration, and value.
AI is opening new frontiers in science. Satya shared how AI is accelerating breakthroughs in materials science, like discovering battery components that reduce lithium use by 70%. He’s bullish on what’s next: printed robot arms linked to real-world models and AI accelerating progress in computational chemistry, material science, and robotics.
Don’t fear AI, collaborate with it. Think of Copilot not as a replacement, but as a productivity multiplier that helps developers stay in flow and ship better code, faster. Tools like Copilot amplify developers and turn IT backlogs into buildable tasks. “It’s not about greenfield coding — it’s about empowering more people to code, and helping the pros scale.
Model innovation is not done. We already have the models to build with, but the breakthroughs will keep coming. Open source and closed models are learning from each other. Satya reminded us that product builders must stay agile: “There’s always one math breakthrough away that could change everything.”
And of course, we ended where we began — with cricket. Satya smiled and said, “AI still can’t hit a 35-ball 100.”Fair enough!
Final Takeaways
Favorite app: GitHub Copilot
What AI can’t do: Parenting
Startup opportunities: Physical AGI, LLMs for science, and vertical AI agents
