Why a top Microsoft exec shared Amazon CEO Andy Jassy's annual letter to shareholders in an internal memo
Microsoft
's newest AI division leader
Jay Parikh
has turned to Amazon CEO
Andy Jassy
's shareholder letter for strategic inspiration, sharing key insights with his
CoreAI team
in an internal memo obtained by Business Insider. Parikh, tasked by CEO Satya Nadella with leading Microsoft's CoreAI unit that develops AI agents for workplace collaboration, distributed weekly memos to his team highlighting Jassy's April shareholder letter. The correspondence reveals Parikh's blueprint for transforming Microsoft's approach to customer focus and
operational efficiency
.
According to Business Insider, Parikh's memo emphasized Jassy's use of the word "customer" 63 times throughout the Amazon letter, underscoring the e-commerce giant's legendary customer obsession culture.
Customer-centric philosophy drives new direction
Parikh challenged his Microsoft team to adopt Amazon's customer-first mentality, posing critical questions about value delivery and customer understanding. The former Facebook executive outlined specific areas for improvement, including faster feature rollouts, simplified product experiences, and better alignment with customer business priorities.
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"What can we do differently or better to deepen our understanding and deliver better outcomes for our customers?" Parikh wrote, according to the internal memo reviewed by Business Insider.
The CoreAI leader pushed teams to examine how they handle customer incidents, emphasizing empathy and improved communication during service disruptions.
Streamlining operations through constant questioning
Drawing from Amazon's culture of continuous improvement, Parikh highlighted the importance of asking "why" and "why not" throughout organizational processes. He warned against clinging to outdated procedures in an era of rapid AI advancement and evolving customer expectations.
The memo, as reported by Business Insider, called for aggressive streamlining across Microsoft's CoreAI operations, targeting AI-powered efficiency improvements, enhanced developer tools, and reduced meeting overhead. Parikh positioned constant questioning as essential for understanding rather than blindly following established protocols.
His directive emphasized replacing antiquated processes with modern solutions suited for the AI revolution transforming
enterprise software development
.
Parikh concluded by stressing clear communication and purpose-driven product development, warning teams against "shipping confusion" through unclear messaging and excessive technical jargon when engaging customers.
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