Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer just a tool, it’s becoming a career necessity, and tech giants like Microsoft and Google have made this very clear.
Both tech giants are now weaving AI adoption into employee performance reviews as competition intensifies in the global AI race, as per a report by The Times of India.
In June, Julia Liuson, Microsoft’s president of developer tools (which includes GitHub Copilot), sent a memo to managers stressing that “using AI is no longer optional — it’s core to every role and every level.” Managers were instructed to factor AI usage into their “holistic reflections” of employee performance, putting it on par with essential workplace skills like collaboration and data-driven thinking.
A month later, Google CEO Sundar Pichai echoed the sentiment at an all-hands meeting, telling employees they must “be more AI-savvy” if the company is to stay competitive.
“Rival companies will leverage AI for productivity gains,” he warned, underscoring that Google needs to match that efficiency.
Beyond adoption
The push goes deeper than encouragement. Google engineering VP Megan Kacholia has directed software engineers to integrate AI tools into their coding work, while job descriptions are being updated to include AI problem-solving skills.
Internal initiatives like “AI Savvy Google” offer courses and toolkits, while teams are expected to use the company’s Cider AI coding tool. Already, over 30 per cent of Google’s code is AI-generated, up from 25 per cent last year.
At Microsoft, leaders are weighing formal AI usage metrics for the next fiscal year, reflecting concerns that adoption of Copilot AI services is lagging. Managers have been reminded that employees who fail to embrace AI could fall behind.
Former GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke even said that workers unwilling to adopt AI “can go to tens of thousands of other tech companies.”
A wider industry shift
The AI mandate isn’t limited to engineering. At both Microsoft and Google, sales, legal, and support teams are being instructed to embed AI into workflows. Employees may be skeptical, but many now view AI proficiency as a prerequisite for career growth.
Other tech giants are also taking a hard line. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has urged employees to learn AI tools to enable “scrappier teams,” while Shopify requires teams to demonstrate AI use before asking for extra resources.
The message from Silicon Valley is clear: adapt to AI-enhanced workflows or risk being left behind.
