The timing of Suleyman's message is particularly poignant. So far in 2025, there have been layoffs at many tech companies affecting 1,80,000 people, with Microsoft itself eliminating over 15,000 positions this year alone.

Tech companies are undergoing massive changes amidst the artificial intelligen (AI) boom, and all big companies, including Microsoft, Google, Intel and more have laid off people to restructure their operations. In the midst of these turbulent times, Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman has shared some important career advice that challenges workers to step outside their comfort zones, just as AI reshapes the employment landscape.

"Some of the best career advice I've ever gotten: comfort is the enemy of learning. If an opportunity is a little intimidating and feels like a stretch - it's probably the right opportunity," Suleyman wrote in a post on X.

The timing of Suleyman's message is particularly poignant. So far in 2025, there have been layoffs at many tech companies affecting 1,80,000 people, with Microsoft itself eliminating over 15,000 positions this year alone.

Why do Suleyman's words matter

Suleyman leads Microsoft's AI division, which oversees consumer products including Copilot, Bing, and Edge. His role places him at the epicentre of the very technological transformation that critics say is displacing workers across the industry.

Microsoft cut approximately 9,000 jobs in July itself, representing just under 4 percent of its global workforce, with the layoffs spanning multiple divisions, geographies, and levels of seniority. The company has invested $80 billion in AI infrastructure this fiscal year, even as it reduces headcount.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella revealed that employees will need to 'unlearn' and 'relearn' work functions by adopting artificial intelligence tools, suggesting the workforce must adapt before headcount growth can return.

Suleyman's career journey

Suleyman's career trajectory embodies the advice he now shares. He co-founded DeepMind Technologies in 2010, which was acquired by Google for a reported £400 million in 2014, the company's largest acquisition in Europe at that time. After leaving Google, he founded Inflection AI before joining Microsoft in March 2024.

His personal philosophy on career development extends beyond simply taking risks. In previous posts, Suleyman has emphasised the importance of mastering one's learning style and leveraging AI tools to convert information into preferred formats, whether podcasts, quizzes, or summaries.

Tech layoffs this year have been brutal

The advice to embrace intimidating opportunities may ring hollow for the thousands of tech workers facing layoffs. In October alone, the US tech industry saw 33,281 layoffs, up dramatically from just 5,639 the previous month.

While AI adoption is playing a role in job cuts, recent announcements from companies like Amazon, UPS, and Target signal concerns about the economy and a slowdown in consumer spending, according to industry experts.

The World Economic Forum reports that 41 percent of employers worldwide intend to reduce their workforce in the next five years due to AI automation, though many companies aren't waiting that long.