What Tech’s Most Powerful Leaders Said About AI in 2025

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Artificial intelligence dominated headlines long before 2025. What changed this year was the tone.

Instead of promise, CEOs spoke about pressure. Instead of disruption, they talked about displacement, bubbles, and power.

These ten statements mark the point when AI stopped being framed as an innovation story and started being treated as an economic and social one:

“With AI, reliance on human specialists will become free and commonplace”

Bill Gates, co-founder, Microsoft Corp., speaking on NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon

Over the next decade, advances in artificial intelligence will mean that humans will no longer be needed for most things in the world… With AI, over the next decade, that reliance on specialists will become free and commonplace.

“You’re not going to lose your job to AI but to someone who uses it”

Jensen Huang, founder and chief executive officer, Nvidia Corp., at the Milken Institute Global Conference

“You’re not going to lose your job to an AI, but you’re going to lose your job to someone who uses AI. Every job will be affected, and immediately.”

“Spend less time doomscrolling and more time using AI”

Aravind Srinivas, co-founder and chief executive officer, Perplexity AI, in an interview with Matthew Berman

“Spend less time doomscrolling on Instagram; spend more time using the AIs… People who are at the frontier of using AI are going to be far more employable. That’s guaranteed.”

“India will be one of the great AI-first economies”

Satya Nadella, chairman and chief executive officer, Microsoft Corp., announcing Microsoft’s India AI skilling initiative

“We’re committing to skilling 20 million people in India because the country has the talent, scale, and ambition to lead in an AI-driven economy.”

“AI agents will become the primary way people use software”

Mark Zuckerberg, founder and chief executive officer, Meta Platforms Inc., outlining Meta’s AI roadmap

“Over time, AI agents will become the primary way people interact with software. You won’t open apps the same way. You’ll ask intelligent systems to do things for you.”

“AI will change how every company is run”

Andy Jassy, president and chief executive officer, Amazon.com Inc., at an AWS leadership event

“AI will change how every company is run, not just technology companies. It will reshape productivity, cost structures, and decision-making across industries.”

“The AI market is in a bubble and it’s still transformative”

Sam Altman, chief executive officer, OpenAI, speaking to reporters

“When bubbles happen, smart people get overexcited about a kernel of truth… Are we overexcited about AI? Yes. Is AI the most important thing to happen in a very long time? Also yes.”

“No company will be immune if the AI bubble bursts”

Sundar Pichai, chief executive officer, Alphabet Inc., in an interview with the BBC

“I think no company is going to be immune, including us. There was excess investment in the internet era too, but no one questions its impact. AI will be the same.”

“AI must be built with trust at the center”

Tim Cook, chief executive officer, Apple Inc., at Apple’s annual shareholders meeting

“AI will be one of the most important technologies of our lifetime, but it has to be built responsibly, with privacy, security, and trust at the center.”

“In less than 20 years, working will be optional”

Elon Musk, chief executive officer, Tesla and SpaceX, speaking with Nikhil Kamath

“In less than 20 years, working at all will be optional… AI and robotics will provide goods and services so cheaply that work becomes a choice, not a necessity.”