Microsoft CEO reveals GPT-5 prompts bosses may like but employees won’t

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28 Aug 2025
6 min read

News Synopsis

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has revealed how GPT-5 integration in Microsoft 365 Copilot is reshaping the way leaders prepare for meetings, track projects, and manage accountability. While these AI-driven prompts can make managers more efficient, they may also raise concerns among employees who fear increased pressure and reduced flexibility. Nadella’s insights provide a rare look at how the world’s top executives are personally using AI-powered productivity tools to stay ahead.

GPT-5 in Microsoft 365 Copilot: A New Workflow for Leaders

In a recent series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), Nadella shared that GPT-5 has already become part of his everyday workflow. He explained that the AI now serves as a second brain across Microsoft apps, seamlessly summarising interactions, extracting insights, and preparing him for critical discussions.

“It’s been a few weeks since we brought GPT-5 to Microsoft 365 Copilot, and it’s quickly become part of my everyday workflow,” Nadella wrote. “It’s adding a new layer of intelligence spanning all my apps.”

This integration highlights a shift from AI being used only for drafting documents or summarising notes to becoming a predictive, context-aware decision support system for managers and leaders.

Why These Prompts Matter

Imagine walking into a meeting where your boss already knows what’s on your mind, has reviewed every update from your project, and is ready with tough questions. That’s the environment Nadella’s prompts are enabling—one that could be a dream for managers seeking accountability but intimidating for employees who feel they’re under constant AI-powered scrutiny.

The five GPT-5 prompts shared by Nadella show just how powerful Copilot has become in gathering insights from emails, chats, calendars, and past meetings.

The 5 GPT-5 Prompts Used by Satya Nadella

1. Anticipating What’s on Someone’s Mind

Nadella uses a prompt that scans past interactions with a colleague and predicts the five topics most likely to be on their mind for the next meeting. This helps him step into discussions already prepared for concerns, ideas, or objections—reducing the element of surprise.

2. Automated Project Updates

Another prompt generates a project summary by compiling data from emails, chats, and meeting notes. It includes updates on KPIs versus targets, risks, wins and losses, competitive developments, and tough questions with suggested answers. This eliminates the need for manual reporting and ensures leaders have all critical information upfront.

3. Tracking Product Launches and Accountability

To stay on top of company goals, Nadella asks Copilot: “Are we on track for the [Product] launch in November?” The AI responds by analyzing engineering progress, pilot program results, risks, and providing a probability score. This gives managers a real-time accountability snapshot without waiting for detailed presentations.

4. Time Management Insights

By reviewing Nadella’s calendar and email over the past month, Copilot creates 5 to 7 buckets of projects where most time was spent, along with percentage splits. This allows executives to see whether their time aligns with strategic priorities.

5. Preparing for Meetings in Context

The final prompt reviews a selected email and prepares Nadella for upcoming meetings, considering past discussions with managers and teams. This ensures he walks into meetings informed, with historical context at hand.

A Glimpse Into the Future of Work

Nadella’s examples illustrate how GPT-5 is shifting AI’s role from an assistant to a decision-making partner. Instead of merely summarising or drafting, AI is now predicting priorities, surfacing risks, and providing context-aware insights.

For managers, this promises higher productivity and sharper decision-making. For employees, however, it could mean facing leaders who are more prepared than ever, with fewer gaps to hide behind. The dynamic of meetings, accountability, and transparency may change dramatically as AI adoption deepens.

Microsoft’s Vision: AI as a Workplace Companion

For Microsoft, Nadella’s public demonstration serves as both a personal endorsement and a marketing statement. It shows how deeply GPT-5 can embed into Microsoft 365 Copilot, creating workflows that save time and reduce information overload.

As the technology evolves, businesses may increasingly rely on AI to forecast risks, analyse performance, and optimise team efficiency. This paints a picture of a future workplace where AI knows not just your schedule but also your likely concerns and questions.

Conclusion

Satya Nadella’s reveal of five GPT-5 prompts highlights the growing role of AI in business decision-making. While executives may embrace the productivity boost, employees may view it as an added layer of pressure. Either way, the future of work is rapidly evolving, with GPT-5 and tools like Copilot pushing the boundaries of what AI can do in professional environments.

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