Satya Nadella, chief executive of Microsoft, acknowledged growing public concerns over artificial intelligence during a live interview in San Francisco on Wednesday, while emphasizing the technology’s potential to increase wages and economic benefits. Speaking on a technology podcast, Nadella said the backlash against AI was “evident across the United States,” but stressed that “everyone is a stakeholder” in its development and outcomes.

Nadella recognized that AI could result in job displacement but highlighted the overall power and advantages the technology offers. He expressed openness to ideas about sharing the financial gains generated by AI companies, a concept recently advocated by Senator Bernie Sanders, who has described AI as a “public resource” deserving of shared ownership by Americans. Former President Donald Trump also raised similar proposals, suggesting that Americans could become wealthier by participating in the financial upside of AI firms.

The remarks come amid increasing political and social debate over AI’s impact, with various groups including parents, religious leaders, environmentalists, and former Tea Party activists voicing opposition to AI development and the construction of related data centers nationwide. Critics have raised concerns about potential job losses, threats to national security, and effects on mental health.

Under Nadella’s leadership, Microsoft has aggressively pursued AI development, competing with other tech giants such as Google, Amazon, and Meta. The company has invested billions in data centers to support the computing power required for AI advancements. Microsoft’s early 2019 investment in OpenAI, the AI research organization behind the popular ChatGPT chatbot, positioned it as an early leader in the field. Since then, Microsoft has invested an additional $12 billion in OpenAI.

Recently, Nadella renegotiated Microsoft’s relationship with OpenAI to reduce the companies’ interdependence while maintaining Microsoft’s status as OpenAI’s largest financial backer and a major shareholder. Nadella noted that managing Microsoft’s computing resources effectively is essential to serving customers, supporting OpenAI, and developing Microsoft’s own AI systems.

Addressing other company matters, Nadella commented on a memo from new leadership at Xbox, Microsoft’s gaming division, which outlined a strategic reset over the next 100 days. He cited challenges in monetizing entertainment content and noted that rising costs of semiconductors and memory chips have significantly impacted consumer electronics production. Nadella emphasized the need to build a sustainable business model for Xbox, describing it as “one of the best sources of entertainment.”