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Microsoft AI CEO pushes back against critics after recent Windows AI backlash

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Re: Microsoft AI CEO pushes back against critics after recent Windows AI backlash

#371

Post by ryandrake »

He is deliberately and disingenuously missing the point. It's not that we are unimpressed by AI (although we might be). The problem is companies that are coercing users to use it by jamming it everywhere and making decisions on the user's behalf by turning it on when it's unwanted.

I am the master and commander of my computer. It should not execute anything without my deliberately commanding it to. But that's not good enough for Microsoft. They see themselves as the commander of my computer. My computer should do what they want it to do, not what I want. And it should be really hard for the user to take back control. This coercion is what we are objecting to, not the actual capabilities of the software.

Re: Microsoft AI CEO pushes back against critics after recent Windows AI backlash

#372

Post by rincebrain »

satvikpendem wrote: post #370
rincebrain wrote: post #361

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would assume because it's hideously expensive to maintain a full OS and support and compatibility guarantees with all the random horseshit consumer platforms throw at them, and they did the math and concluded they liked the profit margins for purely online and non-consumer targeted things, where they can more effectively constrain what is and isn't supported, better. In particular, my guess is that they looked at t…

It's true that the cloud is a big revenue driver for them, but I highly doubt they'd get rid of one of their flagship products, much less one used by billions of people as well as other corporations and governments.

I don't think they want to kill it entirely in the next 5 years, at least, but I do think they just want to stop supporting the non-enterprise users because that lets them significantly constrain what hardware and features they have to maintain, and all their big software offerings are very content being sold as cloud-based recurring revenue sources.

I would assume after 11 LTSC finally EOLs might be the earliest they'd be considering anything more drastic, but I wouldn't speculate whether it'd look like a good idea by then.

It may sound wild, and certainly possible time will prove me wrong, I'm not an oracle, but the ongoing failures in basic functions in Windows seems like they're removing significant investment in it as a reliable platform for general use going forward, and their recent introduction of things like the Xbox handheld running Windows makes me suspect their goal is to constrain where it's still used, and trim how much it costs to maintain that way.

Re: Microsoft AI CEO pushes back against critics after recent Windows AI backlash

#373

Post by lobsterthief »

hifix wrote: post #5

> The fact that people are unimpressed that we can have a fluent conversation with a super smart AI that can generate any image/video is mindblowing to me. It's not that people are unimpressed with AI - they're just tired of constantly being bombarded with it, and it sneaking its way into where it's not wanted. "Generate any image you want!" "Analyse this thing with AI!" gets pretty tiring. If I want AI I'll actively…

It’s really becoming desperate and counterproductive.

I’ve had an Alfred command since 2013 where I type `wiki something` which then opens Confluence and searches for `something`. I use this to quickly search our company wiki for terms without breaking my concentration and flow.

Atlassian decided to add an AI summary at the top and intentionally disable the rest of the results until the AI summary has finished rendering fully. It’s insane. How is this making me more productive? It’s just shearing off one other layer of familiarity and value I’ve enjoyed for 12 years and pushing me away from their product.

Forced adoption rarely works out unless people really want the feature and don’t know that they want it. At the very least, let us disable it.

Re: Microsoft AI CEO pushes back against critics after recent Windows AI backlash

#375

Post by hereme888 »

satvikpendem wrote: post #357
hereme888 wrote: post #347

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google made billions by scamming the world with "free email" and a search engine that would "never display ads" or "censor content". It was "exactly what customers wanted". Microsoft Windows is just as successful....financially speaking. Now, if I could just get teenagers to pay more money for a magic digital rune, besides extracting all that juicy marketing data from their phone app... Because more money = better co…

A corporation exists to make money, so by its own definition, one that makes more money is more successful, just as you said.

But it's unwise to make money at any cost. It can cost your corporation much more in the long term. I see MS Windows on the brink of irreparable reputation damage. I believe Elon Musk is starting to work on MacroHard, and people might flood into that system just out of spite for Microsoft.

Re: Microsoft AI CEO pushes back against critics after recent Windows AI backlash

#376

Post by neuralRiot »

raincole wrote: post #167
anon7000 wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s partly that, but it’s also partly that the quality SUCKS. I’m frustrated with AI blogspam because it doesn’t in any way help me figure out whatever I’m researching. It’s such low quality. What I want and need is higher quality primary sources — in depth research, investigation, presented in an engaging way. Or with movies and shows, I want something genuine. With a genuine story that feels real, characters that…

CGI and Photoshop filters were 'fake' too. Until they weren't. Every single time {something more convenient} got invented, the supports of the {older, less convenient thing} would criticize it to death. Oil painting was considered serious art now. Probably the most serious medium in traditional art schools. But at Michelangelo's time he insisted to use fresco because he believed oil was "an art for women and for leis…

>CGI and Photoshop filters were 'fake' too. Until they weren't.

IMHO they still are, watch any old movie with practical effects (Aliens, Star Wars, just to name 2) and compare them to any 2025 production, green screen movies might look spectacular but they look fake, flat and boring.

Re: Microsoft AI CEO pushes back against critics after recent Windows AI backlash

#377

Post by thewebguyd »

rawgabbit wrote: post #367
tavavex wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's not that people are unimpressed with AI - they're just tired of constantly being bombarded with it, and it sneaking its way into where it's not wanted. Does anyone here know what this arguing tactic is called? It's used by tech leadership all over the world, all the time. Weaponized obtuseness, maybe? The core of it is that you always have to pretend that everyone is basically on board with what you're doing,…

It is gaslighting. Over the years I have grown increasingly distrustful of Microsoft. The fact that so much software runs undetected in kernel mode. I have resigned myself to feel running a Windows machine is akin to putting a sign on myself with the words “hack me”. Now I know better. I finally realized the truth. Windows and copilot is the greatest software in history. It is if your goal is to enable spyware and ma…

> It is if your goal is to enable spyware and mass surveillance of its users.

Which it is if you are a CIO of a big F500 enterprise. Microsoft provides so many ways to spy on and collect useless metrics from employees using their company issued Windows machines, it's a little insane.

With M365 Copilot (on business tenants), admins can see the prompts & responses of users. Just an FYI for anyone here that might use it at their work. Your employer can see everything you prompt.

Re: Microsoft AI CEO pushes back against critics after recent Windows AI backlash

#379

Post by tartoran »

ChoGGi wrote: post #241

If I want AI, I'll get AI. I don't need you to shove it down my throat. Not to mention it's mostly inconsistent trash.

MS wants to shove it down user's throats so it makes sure it comes from them not elsewhere. I really hope MS implodes over this. I've had Windows for 25 years and this year it was time for me to just move away to Linux. Good job Microsoft, you won't be missed.

Re: Microsoft AI CEO pushes back against critics after recent Windows AI backlash

#380

Post by BoorishBears »

mikeocool wrote: post #140
chadcmulligan wrote: post #88

A quote I saw today: "Maybe AI seems like a creative solution, if you aren't a creative person.", seems to explain a lot of this maybe. Edit: Found the source: https://www.eurogamer.net/maybe-ai-is-a-creative-solution-if...

That’s a great quote —- when you hire a “creative” to do a job (ie photographer, designer, etc) in area where you aren’t an expert, the conversation of what you want usually starts with similar existing work that you like. A good creative will take that as a starting point, apply their skills and vision to it, and give you something that solves your specific problem in a unique way, often far better than whatever you…

> it just gives you a facsimile of the inspiration you initially provided and not much more.

This is not at all my experience but I'm also biased currently making a fair enough living off providing software that does just that, using AI.

In favt I'd say that's the key to enjoyable AI experiences, without strong opinions from the person leveraging, the output is rather bland and corporate.

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