Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella reportedly rebuked an executive's strategy that aimed to make users "addicted" to a new AI agent. The rebuke followed media reports about a leaked internal document for an upcoming AI assistant, internally known as Scout or ClawPilot. The document explicitly stated the goal was to make the tool habit-forming to drive high retention and daily usage.
The language in the memo caused concern among some Microsoft employees, who found the framing troubling. Nadella's response signals a course correction on the aggressive user engagement strategy as Microsoft continues to navigate the competitive landscape and user perception of its AI products like Copilot.