In a world that has rapidly changed shape with artificial intelligence, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella believes that one skill remains invaluable. In a recent interview with Tech YouTuber Sajjaad Khade, Nadella emphasized that despite the growing role of AI in software development, developers rely heavily on their ability to think logically and design systems effectively.
“Just getting the real foundations of software (if you're a software engineer), I think it's very important,” Nadella said. “For me, I have the ability to think computationally (it's important).
Nadella was answering a question from Khade about what advice she would give to those starting their tech careers in today's AI-dominated landscape. He emphasized the importance of building problems and learning to think like a software architect. A role that AI can support but cannot be replaced.
“That path to becoming a software architect will speed up,” Nadella pointed out. “We're all going to be more software architects.”
Explaining his point in a personal story, Nadella spoke about his experience solving tricky bugs in his own code using Github Copilot, Microsoft's AI-powered coding assistant. He has developed a feature using percentile filters and realized that he needs to remember the concept of SQL to solve problems effectively.
“Except I was thinking about it, that was a pretty cool problem, right? The problem was that I did a filter that was basically a percentile… I created a feature. But I said, “Oh, this, as you know, can you say, what SQL is, as you know?”
This is the future of software development: the joint relationship between human intuition and AI automation. AI handles the iterations and mechanical parts of coding, but humans need to guide the design, structure, and purpose of software systems.
Nadella also revealed that AI has already written most of Microsoft's code. “I think maybe 20% of the code inside our report today, and maybe part of our project is written all by software,” he said in a previous conversation with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
Beyond product development, Nadella has been working to prepare the next generation for this evolving reality. Microsoft Build talked about “Agentic AI,” a concept that redefines the technology stack and unlocks new developer opportunities.
In line with that vision, Microsoft has launched a major initiative in India by 2026 with the aim of training 500,000 students, educators, developers and entrepreneurs. In partnership with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY), the initiative includes the creation of the AI Center of Excellence, known as “AI Catalysts,” and the creation of Niellict Lapts' 20 AI Productivity Labs.
Goal: Train 20,000 educators and cultivate a community of 100,000 AI developers, especially in rural and underrepresented areas.
Nadella's message is clear. While AI is changing the way we build software, a strong grasp of human creativity, logic and fundamentals continues to make successful developers stand out.
