{"id":22282,"date":"2026-02-05T09:05:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T17:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/?p=22282"},"modified":"2026-02-12T09:14:40","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T17:14:40","slug":"transforming-into-an-ai-first-frontier-firm-in-partnership-with-our-works-councils","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/transforming-into-an-ai-first-frontier-firm-in-partnership-with-our-works-councils\/","title":{"rendered":"Transforming into an AI-first Frontier Firm in partnership with our works councils"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Microsoft is a global company, with more than 200,000 employees working in offices around the world. The working conditions and rights of those employees are governed by the laws that apply to that country or region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In parts of Europe and elsewhere, relationships with our employees are governed by works councils. These councils play a major role in vetting and approving any new technology that might impact our workers and their jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Microsoft Digital, the company\u2019s IT organization, we have gained a ton of insight by working closely with our works councils, especially as we all embrace the rise of generative AI and new tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWith the speed of AI innovation today, we can’t sit and wait. We need our internal users, including our works council members, to be forward-thinking early adopters and help us drive AI transformation.\u201d<\/p>\nIrina Chemerys, regional experience lead, Microsoft Digital<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This experience means we are able to help guide customers who are dealing with their own works councils\u2014many of which also have questions and concerns about the agentic workplace of the future, which is coming fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n