Key Takeaways Microsoft will require employees to come into the office in person three times a week starting in February.
However, Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman already requires employees on his team to be in the office four times a week.
Suleyman also prefers open floor plans, where employees sit at open desks grouped into “neighborhoods” of 20 to 30 people.
Microsoft recently mandated that employees come into the office in person three days a week starting in February 2026 — but for employees on Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman’s team, working in person for most of the week is already the norm.
According to a report released earlier this week from Business Insider, Suleyman requires employees on his team who live near an office to be there at least four days a week. Suleyman is the head of Microsoft AI, a division focused on Copilot and other consumer AI products and research. Executives who report directly to Suleyman must approve all exceptions to the in-office rule.
“I very much believe in the in-person working culture,” Suleyman told Business Insider, stating that it helps “defragment” teams and allows for collaboration.
Related: Microsoft Claims Its AI Is Better Than Doctors at Diagnosing Patients, But ‘You Definitely Still Need Your Physician’
Not only does Suleyman require employees to work from the office more than other Microsoft employees, but he also prefers open floor plans, where employees sit at open desks grouped into “neighborhoods” of 20 to 30 people. The arrangement is “much better for collaboration,” in Suleyman’s words.
“Everyone can see everyone else who’s in,” he told BI. “It just creates a lot more informal collaboration. It’s so much better.”
Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft AI. Image Credit: Chona Kasinger/Bloomberg via Getty Images
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