Join Microsoft’s Doug Burger and guests as they dig into the fundamental truths about AI and how it will reshape the future.
Technical advances are moving at such a rapid pace that it can be challenging to define the tomorrow we’re working toward. In The Shape of Things to Come, Microsoft Research leader Doug Burger and experts from across disciplines tease out the thorniest AI issues facing technologists, policymakers, business decision-makers, and other stakeholders today. The goal: to amplify the shared understanding needed to build a future in which the AI transition is a net positive.
“AI is going to reshape the future. I don’t think there’s any question about that now. How it evolves will depend on the research choices we make. It’s important to understand what the emerging shapes are and how we should respond.”
– Doug Burger, Technical Fellow and Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Research
About Doug Burger
Doug Burger is a research leader in AI, computer architecture, and computer systems. Both a technical fellow and a corporate vice president at Microsoft, he oversees a global organization of over 1,000 researchers and engineers as managing director of Microsoft Research’s worldwide research labs.
Episodes
Episode 1 | Will machines ever be intelligent?
Subutai Ahmad, Nicolò Fusi | March 23, 2026
Are machines truly intelligent? AI researchers Subutai Ahmad and Nicolò Fusi join Doug Burger to compare transformer-based AI with the human brain, exploring continual learning, efficiency, and whether today’s models are on a path toward human intelligence.
Guests
Subutai Ahmad (opens in new tab)
Subutai Ahmad leads neuroscience-inspired AI research at Numenta and previously helped scale YesVideo from startup to industry leader.
Nicolò Fusi
Nicolò Fusi is VP and distinguished scientist at Microsoft Research, leading generative AI efforts for scientific discovery at the intersection of AI and life sciences.
Up next
Episode 2 | Can we AI our way to a more sustainable world?
Amy Luers, Ishai Menache | April 20, 2026
Doug Burger, sustainability expert Amy Luers, and optimization researcher Ishai Menache examine the global emissions implications of datacenter operations, efficiency gains, and AI’s potential across electrification, materials, and food systems.
Guests
Amy Luers
Amy Luers directs AI and sustainability science and innovation at Microsoft, informing the company’s sustainability strategies, investments, and policies.
Ishai Menache
Ishai Menache leads machine learning, optimization, and generative AI research at Microsoft Research, tackling large-scale cloud supply chain challenges.
Series contributors: Neeltje Berger, Amanda Black, Tetiana Bukhinska, David Celis Garcia, Ralph Chiarella, Jeremy Crawford, Kristina Dodge, Chris Duryee, Ben Ericson, Kate Forster, Alyssa Hughes, Julia Kirby, Jake Knapp, Matt McGinley, Jeremy Mashburn, Wil Morrill, Melinda Morrison, Joe Plummer, Brenda Potts, Ana Elize Sherard, Sarah Sobolewski, David Sullivan, Stephen Sullivan, Amber Tingle, Craig Tuschhoff, Larry West, Shauna Whooley, Asa-Mari Zephirin, and Katie Zoller.