“You have to trust it. You have to use it. You have to learn even how to put the guard rails to trust it.”
— Satya Nadella, World Economic Forum Annual Meeting (2026)
Satya Nadella transformed Microsoft from a company struggling with relevance into a cloud computing powerhouse and AI leader. As CEO since 2014, he rebuilt the organization’s culture around growth mindset and collaboration, positioning Microsoft at the forefront of the artificial intelligence revolution.
Speaking at the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, Nadella addressed one of technology’s central tensions: how do we responsibly adopt systems we don’t yet fully understand? His words capture a fundamental truth about innovation. Trust in new technology cannot be theoretical. It requires active engagement, hands-on experience, and sometimes mistakes.
The phrase “learn even how to put the guard rails” reveals the complexity. We cannot protect against risks we haven’t encountered. We cannot build effective safeguards from a distance. The only path forward involves using these tools, observing their behavior, understanding their limitations, and then constructing appropriate boundaries.
This reflects Nadella’s broader philosophy at Microsoft: embrace transformation while remaining thoughtful about consequences. His leadership during AI’s rapid advancement has balanced enthusiasm with caution, pushing adoption while advocating for ethical frameworks. The quote suggests that trust and safety are not prerequisites for engagement with AI, but rather outcomes of thoughtful, iterative use.
