Microsoft has formed a new Superintelligence team within its AI division, aiming to develop what it calls “humanist superintelligence” — advanced AI that remains under human control.
The team, announced Thursday morning in a post by Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft AI, reflects the company’s ambitions to shape the next era of artificial intelligence while addressing concerns about safety and control in the development of advanced AI systems.
“We are doing this to solve real concrete problems and do it in such a way that it remains grounded and controllable,” Suleyman wrote. “We are not building an ill-defined and ethereal superintelligence; we are building a practical technology explicitly designed only to serve humanity.”
The approach contrasts with the broader pursuit of artificial general intelligence, or AGI — the goal of creating AI systems that can match or surpass human capabilities across virtually any task — which is core to the mission of Microsoft’s longtime partner, OpenAI, and its CEO Sam Altman.
In his message, Suleyman cited early directions in areas such as healthcare, where Microsoft researchers are developing expert-level diagnostic models, and clean energy, where AI could accelerate breakthroughs in materials, batteries, and fusion research.
The goal, he wrote, is to advance technology “within limits” — keeping humanity in control while harnessing AI’s potential to improve lives on a global scale
Suleyman will lead the new MAI Superintelligence Team, joined by Microsoft AI Chief Scientist Karén Simonyan and other core Microsoft AI leaders and researchers. Key leaders who’ve been involved in Microsoft’s model development work are also expected to be part of the effort.
The company hasn’t disclosed how large the group is expected to become.
