What are Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s Top AI Tips?
Let’s cut to the chase. There are countless guides, videos and walkthroughs on how to best use AI to turbocharge the boardroom and the business – probably as many as there are arguments for and against the proliferation of the tech in companies.
But time is precious for CEOs. Certainly too precious to get bogged down in the minutiae of AI prompts, chatbots and which platform is the best for organisation, productivity, communication, productivity… you get the idea.
This level of complexity is partly behind the AI anxiety that’s dominating the workforce, from young Gen Z workers and entry-level roles through to CEOs.
More than three fourths of US CEOs worry about losing their jobs, according to a Harris Poll survey for Dataiku. Meanwhile, a February 2025 Cisco Study found that 80% of CEOs recognise AI’s benefits, but 70% of them fear gaps in their own knowledge will hinder decisions at board level.
The advice is the same for bosses as it is for everyone else: embrace AI with both hands.
That’s certainly what Microsoft Chairman CEO Satya Nadella is doing. The tech leader recently revealed in a LinkedIn post that GPT-5 in Microsoft Copilot is now part of his everyday workflow.
The shift, he says, has helped him add a new layer of intelligence to the way he approaches leadership and work, helping with project updates, meeting prep and more.
He even set out his most important AI prompt for supercharging operations.
Prompts that show what’s possible
Microsoft brought GPT-5, OpenAI’s latest AI system, into 365 Copilot and Copilot Studio in early August.
The company says the update represents a significant leap in intelligence, particularly when the AI is applied to the work environment, thanks to its greater accuracy, reasoning and efficiency.
According to Satya, the AI’s improvements have supercharged his workflow across all his apps. Here are the five prompts he cites as fundamental to this change:
- “Based on my prior interactions with [/person], give me 5 things likely top of mind for our next meeting.”
- “Draft a project update based on emails, chats, and all meetings in [/series]: KPIs vs. targets, wins/losses, risks, competitive moves, plus likely tough questions and answers.”
- “Are we on track for the [Product] launch in November? Check eng progress, pilot program results, risks. Give me a probability.”
- “Review my calendar and email from the last month and create 5 to 7 buckets for projects I spend most time on, with % of time spent and short descriptions.”
- “Review [/select email] + prep me for the next meeting in [/series], based on past manager and team discussions.”
AI and the CEO's daily routine
Satya isn’t alone in embracing AI, with the technology becoming part of the daily routine of many of the most successful business leaders.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has previously discussed how he uses his own GPT for tasks like email summarisation, meeting preparation and article and content translation.
Tim Cook has discussed using Apple’s AI tools for similar tasks, telling the Wall Street Journal Magazine: “If I can save time here and there, it adds up to something significant across a day, a week, a month,” adding “it’s changed my life, it really has.”
Nvidia’s Jensen Huang uses tools like Gemini Pro, ChatGPT and Perplexity for learning.
Speaking at the 28th annual Milken Institute Global Conference in California – a meeting ground for business, government, science and health leaders – he said “I use it [AI] as a tutor every day.
“In areas that are fairly new to me, I might say, ‘Start by explaining it to me like I’m a 12-year-old,’ and then work your way up into a doctorate-level over time.”
