At the Ideas4India forum in Seattle on September 17, 2026, Microsoft chairman and CEO Satya Nadella argued that AI should serve people and remain under human control. He said the science of AI alignment was not yet established despite the existence of powerful AI technology, and called for international norms involving governments and AI companies.
Why Nadella put human control at the center
AI alignment is the effort to make AI systems’ behavior fit human goals. Nadella said that work had not yet produced an established science, even as powerful AI technology was already available. He argued that AI should serve people and remain under human control.
The two ideas go together in his position: developing powerful systems should be accompanied by work to ensure their behavior serves people. His comments presented that as a guiding principle for AI development.
A U.S.-China starting point, with wider participation
Nadella called for governments and AI companies to develop shared international norms. He identified an understanding between the United States and China as a starting point, while arguing that the process should include the wider world.
He also connected participation in AI with countries and people being able both to benefit from shared knowledge and contribute to it. His argument extended sovereignty to companies, too: organizations should retain control over the knowledge they generate.
A forum on technology cooperation
More than 40 Indian-origin technology CEOs and CTOs attended the Seattle forum, organized by the Consulate General of India in Seattle. Its reported discussions covered India-U.S. technology cooperation, including AI, semiconductors, quantum research and cloud infrastructure.
