Nirvana’s Krist Novoselic and other Microsoft shareholders press company on AI safety

By Todd Bishop, December 7, 2023

Is Microsoft moving too quickly to capitalize on artificial intelligence at the expense of long-term shareholder value? That was a key question at the company’s shareholder meeting Thursday morning.

Krist Novoselic, the musician and author who co-founded the iconic band Nirvana, served as the spokesperson for a shareholder initiative asking the company to carefully study and report on the impact of its AI initiatives.

In a video played during the virtual meeting, Novoselic asserted that Microsoft has rushed its generative AI products to market, saying that the company should do more to consider and address AI’s risks.

He cited not only the potential impact on society and the world but also the long-term legal, regulatory, and reputational risks for the company.

“When Microsoft released its generative-AI-powered Bing last February, numerous AI experts and investors expressed concern. Many urged Microsoft to pause and consider all the risks associated with this new technology so that the company could establish risk mitigation practices,” Novoselic said. “Yet our company raced forward, releasing this nascent technology without the appropriate guardrails.”

Describing himself as a long-term Microsoft shareholder, he added, “Generative AI is a game-changer, there’s no question, but the rush to market seemingly prioritizes short term profits over long-term success.”

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