Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman enforces stricter office rules than rest of company

Microsoft AI Chief Executive Officer Mustafa Suleyman has introduced stricter work-from-office requirements for his team, insisting on an in-person working culture that goes beyond the company’s broader hybrid model. He stated in an interview with Business Insider that he strongly believes in office-based collaboration and has been focusing on consolidating and streamlining his team’s culture to encourage concentrated, collective effort.

Suleyman, who joined Microsoft earlier this year to lead its AI division following the acquisition of Inflection AI, said that his preference for in-person work is rooted in fostering energy and teamwork. He explained that he generally prefers open floor plans, despite their polarising nature among Microsoft’s engineers, as they encourage informal exchanges and visible collaboration among team members.

While Microsoft recently rolled out a new company-wide return-to-office policy requiring most employees to work from the office at least three days a week starting 26 January, Suleyman’s division operates under a more demanding structure. According to an internal document reviewed by Business Insider, employees on his team who live near a Microsoft office are expected to be present for a minimum of four days a week. Any exceptions to this rule must be approved by one of his direct reports.

Suleyman also informed that he does not favour traditional office layouts with enclosed spaces. Instead, he has implemented “neighbourhoods” — clusters of 20 to 30 open desks positioned close together — to boost spontaneous collaboration and create what he described as an atmosphere of energy and focus. He emphasised that this setup allows everyone to remain visible and connected, fostering a sense of shared intensity and purpose.

Most of Suleyman’s AI team is based in Silicon Valley rather than at Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, reflecting his strategic push to build a concentrated hub for innovation and development in the heart of the global technology ecosystem.