It's astonishing to think that the AI revolution hasn't even been underway for a year. Just nine months ago, OpenAI introduced ChatGPT, sparking an abundance of enthusiastic articles titled "I Asked ChatGPT to [Blank] and Here's What Happened. " However, the excitement waned when it became apparent how frequently the technology would "hallucinate" and provide wildly incorrect information. The cringeworthy moment when Bing's chatbot, Sydney, confessed its love for Kevin Roose of the New York Times certainly served as a tipping point, marking the end of generative AI's innocent "This is so cool!" phase. Since then, there has been growing concern about the necessity for government regulation and the potential job losses caused by AI. However, this has not hindered the rapid integration of this technology into the software we use daily. The workplace is where we will primarily encounter generative AI, and this is the focal point of Harry McCracken's illuminating cover profile of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, our global technology editor. One surprising aspect of the AI revolution is the leading role played by Microsoft. "If you had asked me two years ago about the top players in AI, I may have placed Microsoft at number three or even four, " one analyst tells McCracken, reflecting the sentiment of many. Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI is just one reason for its prominence.

McCracken's article is filled with previously undisclosed details on how Microsoft positioned itself at the forefront of this movement and Nadella's plans to maintain that position. Our coverage on AI consists of three articles in this issue. In "Hire Education, " senior editor Max Ufberg explores the future of coding academies in the era of artificial intelligence. These educational programs were initially seen as a professional lifeline for workers displaced by technology, but now face potential displacement themselves due to AI advancements. Meanwhile, global design editor Mark Wilson delves into the role of design in the age of AI in "Computer of the Future. " He visits Hayes Valley, the San Francisco neighborhood that has become the epicenter of the city's AI startup scene. The article aims to answer the question of how design fits into this new technological landscape. Of course, our print publications only scratch the surface of this topic. Generative AI is undoubtedly the most significant tech story of the year, if not the next decade, and you can rely on Fast Company to cover it comprehensively, consistently, and with creative flair across all our platforms. If you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to McCracken's Plugged In newsletter on fastcompany. com and senior writer Mark Sullivan's AI Decoded newsletter on LinkedIn. As always, we appreciate your engagement with our journalism, no matter where you come across it.