Microsoft CEO: tech sector needs to prevent '1984' future

Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella said tech developers have a responsibility to prevent a dystopian '1984' future as the US technology titan unveiled a fresh initiative to bring artificial intelligence into the mainstream. At the start of its annual Build Conference, Microsoft sought to showcase applications with artificial intelligence that could tap into services in the internet'cloud' and even take advantage of computing power in nearby machines. Nadella spent time on stage at the Seattle conference stressing a need to build trust in technology, saying new applications must avoid dystopian futures feared by some. Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella (pictured) opened the tech giant's Build conference by telling developers artificial intelligence does not need to lead to a dystopian future Microsoft rivals including Amazon, Apple, Google and IBM have all been aggressively pursing the promise and potential of artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence is getting a foothold in people's homes, with personal assistants answering questions and controlling connected devices such as appliances or light bulbs.