Microsoft(US:MSFT) TEDx Talksยท2025-08-18 16:57AI & SAS Industry Transformation - Microsoft CEO predicts AI agents will disrupt the SAS industry, potentially replacing traditional enterprise software [1][2] - The shift towards AI agents is already happening, not just a future prediction [2] - AI agents are initially targeting the "rotten parts" or "dead skin cells" of SAS, such as outdated UI/UX, legacy code, and data silos [3][6][7] - The industry is moving towards "agentic AI" and "AI-native SAS products," signifying a fundamental architectural shift [10][11] - This shift mirrors the microservices architecture revolution, with monolithic SAS being replaced by numerous specialized agents [11][12] Automation & Productivity - The initial focus is on automating manual data entry, freeing up employees to focus on core tasks like sales, marketing, and finance [14] - AI-enabled automation aims to eliminate manual effort in system interaction, going beyond traditional automation [18] - The ultimate vision is a highly conversational and intuitive enterprise environment, accessible via voice commands and predictive systems [25][26][27] - Agentic AI has the potential to save millions of dollars by automating tasks and improving efficiency [24] Historical Context & Future Outlook - The current AI revolution is compared to the IT boom of the 1990s, where automation significantly improved productivity [15][17] - The rise of AI raises the question of whether intelligent machines can replace the work of intelligent engineers [22] - The future involves a co-evolution of humans and AI, with mutual benefit rather than destruction [23] - The future of SAS is "agentic SAS" (ASAS), characterized by smarter, more intuitive systems [28]