Microsoft has announced the formation of its new “MAI Superintelligence Team”, an initiative that aims to develop artificial intelligence systems with markedly superior capabilities in specific domains - beginning with medical diagnosis. 
The unit, led by AI chief Mustafa Suleyman, will steer away from the broader pursuit of general-purpose AI and instead focus on “humanist superintelligence” - technology that serves focused real-world goals while presenting “virtually no existential risk whatsoever.”

According to Microsoft, the first milestone is achieving a line of sight to medical superintelligence within the next two to three years, addressing how earlier disease detection could significantly extend healthy life expectancy. While the project remains ambitious, Microsoft positions it as a practical, controlled route to transform healthcare diagnosis and treatment, rather than a speculative race. The move signals a strategic shift in the AI industry - prioritising domain-specific breakthroughs over open-ended capabilities.