Microsoft's AI Leader Is Begging You to Stop Treating AI Like Humans
Suleyman's 4,600-word treatise is a timely reaction to a growing phenomenon of AI users ascribing human-like qualities of consciousness to AI tools. It's not an unreasonable reaction; it's human nature for us to imagine there is a mind or human behind language, as one AI expert and linguist explained to me. But advancements in AI capabilities have allowed people to use chatbots not only as search engines or research tools, but as therapists, friends and romantic partners. These AI companions are a kind of "seemingly conscious AI," a term Suleyman uses to define AI that can convince you it's "a new kind of 'person.'" With that come a lot of questions and potential dangers.
Suleyman takes care at the beginning of the essay to highlight that these are his personal thoughts, meaning they aren't an official position of Microsoft, and that his opinions could evolve over time. But getting insight from one of the leaders of a tech giant leading the AI revolution is a window into the future of these tools and how our relationship to them might change. He warns that while AI isn't human, the societal impacts of the technology are immediate and pressing.
Watch this: How You Talk to ChatGPT Matters. Here's Why
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Dangers of "Seemingly Conscious AI"
Human consciousness is hard to define. But many of the traits Suleyman describes as in defining consciousness can be seen in AI technology: the ability to express oneself in natural language, personality, memory, goal setting and planning, for example. This is something we can easily see with the rise of agentic AI in particular: If an AI can independently plan for and complete a task by pulling from its memory and datasets, and then expressing its results in an easy-to-read, fun way, that feels like a very human-like process even though it isn't. And if something feels human, we are generally inclined to give it some autonomy and rights.
Suleyman wants us and AI companies to nip this idea in the bud now. The idea of "model welfare" could "exacerbate delusions, create yet more dependence-related problems, prey on our psychological vulnerabilities, introduce new dimensions of polarization, complicate existing struggles for rights and create a huge new category error for society," he writes.
There is a heartbreakingly large number of examples to point to of the devastating consequences. Many stories and lawsuits have emerged from chatbot therapists dispensing bad and dangerous advice, including encouraging self-harm and suicide. The risks are especially potent for children and teenagers. Meta's AI guidelines recently came under fire for allowing "sensual" chats with kids, and Character.Ai has been the target of much concern and a lawsuit from a Florida mom alleging the platform is responsible for her teen's suicide. We've also learning more about how our brains work when we're using AI and how often people are using it.
Read more: AI Data Centers Are Coming for Your Land, Water and Power
Suleyman argues we should protect the well-being and rights of existing humans today, along with the animals and the environment. In what he calls "a world already roiling with polarized arguments over identity and rights," debate over seemingly conscious AI and AI's potential humanity "will add a chaotic new axis of division" in society.
In terms of practical next steps, Suleyman advocates for additional research into how people interact with AI. He also calls on AI companies to explicitly say and not encourage people to think that their AI products are conscious, along with more open sharing of the design principles and guardrails that are effective at deterring problematic AI use cases. He says that his team at Microsoft will be building AI in this proactive way, but doesn't provide any specifics.
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I am pleased with our results, and we will continue to be agile and opportunistic throughout the remainder of the year as we aim to deliver a superior experience for our loyal Newegg customers." Newegg Interim Chief Financial Officer Christina Ching added, "In the first half of 2025, Newegg demonstrated significant growth driven by robust sales of PC components, particularly boosted by positive momentum from the new GPU and CPU product launches. This strong consumer demand led to a 14% year-over-year increase in GMV and a 13% rise in net sales. Along with SG&A expense reductions following various strategic cost optimization measures throughout 2024 and 2025, our adjusted EBITDA improved substantially to $11.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025, up from a $7.3 million loss for the same period in 2024. We have also maintained focus on our cash balance and working capital. 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Wire & Cable Market worth $266.17 billion by 2029 at 5.8%, says MarketsandMarkets™
Delray Beach, FL, Aug. 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In terms of value, the Wire & Cable Market is estimated at USD 201.04 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 266.17 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 5.8%, as per the recent study by MarketsandMarkets™. There are various factors due to which the demand for wire & cable will grow in the coming years. Firstly, the growing renewable energy sector is a major driver of the wire & cable market. Countries across the globe are increasing their renewable energy production by installing grid technology and initiating offshore as well as onshore wind projects. These projects are generating huge revenues for wire and cable manufacturers especially since there is an increased demand for submarine cables due to offshore projects. Additionally, countries worldwide are investing heavily and providing subsidies to boost EV sales, which is further necessitating the need for more EV charging points. This is significantly driving the need for specialized EV cables. Construction, Telecommunication, Energy & Power, Automotive, and Oil & Gas industries are generating significant demand for wire and cables. Download PDF Brochure: Browse in-depth TOC on 'Wire & Cable Market' 175 - Market Data Tables 71 – Figures 258 - Pages List of Key Players in Wire & Cable Market: Prysmian (Italy), Belden Inc. (US), Fujikura Ltd. (Japan), Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd (Japan), Leoni Ag (Germany), Nexans (France), Emerson Electric Co. (US), Hellenic Cables (Greece), KEI Industries (India), Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. (Japan), NKT A/S (Denmark), Finolex Cables Ltd (India), Helukabel (Germany) Drivers, Opportunities and Challenges in Wire & Cable Market: Drivers: Rising demand for cables from renewable energy sector Restraint: Fluctuating raw material prices. Opportunity: Surge in demand for cables in EV infrastructure. Challenge: Enhancing insulation durability. Get Sample Pages: Key Findings of the Study: By 2029, Wire & Cable market is expected to grow moderately in terms of value. Underground cables dominate the global market in 2023, in terms of value. Asia Pacific region is expected to account for the largest market share in 2023. Based on Installation, the wire & cable market is divided into three types namely, overhead, underground, and submarine. The underground installation has the maximum demand in the wires & cables market. This is because human tends to require greater reliability and visibility in Urban areas which has also boosted the trend. There are many advantages of underground cables over overhead installation for instance they are not affected by weather conditions, they are less likely to be affected by an accident, or a falling tree and they are less visible and thus are not disrupting the aesthetic view of an area. Also, installations located underground are less exposed to interference and acts of vandalism, and, therefore, suitable for dense neighbourhoods and important connections. The market share of underground solutions will also continue to increase in the future as cities grow and develop, in general, requiring various solutions to fit modern society's needs. Based on product type, the wire & cable market is divided into five types namely, electronic wires, power cables, control & instrumentation cables, communication cables, and flexible & specialty cables. The electronic wires dominate the market with the highest market share and also is expected to be the fastest-growing type of product. Electronic wires have immense application various electronic devices including smartphones, computers, and other consumer electronic equipment. Thus, with the growing proliferation of these electronic devices, there is an expected growth in the demand of electronic wires. Get Customization on this Report: Based on material type, the wire & cable market is divided based on metal and polymer. The metal is an irreplaceable part of the wire and cables and thus dominates the material segment of the wire & cable market. Metals include copper and aluminium which have excellent electrical conductivity properties. Copper is used for high-voltage power transmission and is on the expensive side whereas aluminium is used in lightweight and cost-effective wires and cables. Metals comprise the major part of wire and cables, whereas the polymer is mainly used to sheath them to protect from external damage. Based on Region, Currently, the wire and cable demand in Asia-Pacific is highest due to increased urbanization, development, and growth in the economy. 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The increasing levels of industrialization and urbanization in the Asia-Pacific region with persevered demands for higher connectivity and efficiency in energy usage would keep the region in the wire and cable market as a key growth factor Browse Adjacent Markets Advanced Materials Market Research Reports Related Reports: Electrical Steel Market Metal Stamping Market Coated Fabrics Market Isobutyric Acid Market Marine Lubricants Market CONTACT: About MarketsandMarkets™ MarketsandMarkets™ has been recognized as one of America's Best Management Consulting Firms by Forbes, as per their recent report. MarketsandMarkets™ is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. With the widest lens on emerging technologies, we are proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients across the globe. Today, 80% of Fortune 2000 companies rely on MarketsandMarkets, and 90 of the top 100 companies in each sector trust us to accelerate their revenue growth. With a global clientele of over 13,000 organizations, we help businesses thrive in a disruptive ecosystem. The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion in new revenue streams that are replacing existing ones within this decade. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines – TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing. Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we collaborate with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies to keep them future-ready. Our insights and strategies are powered by industry experts, cutting-edge AI, and our Market Intelligence Cloud, KnowledgeStore™, which integrates research and provides ecosystem-wide visibility into revenue shifts. To find out more, visit or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Contact: Mr. Rohan Salgarkar MarketsandMarkets™ INC. 1615 South Congress Ave. Suite 103, Delray Beach, FL 33445, USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@ Visit Our Website:
