In this episode of the Shift AI Podcast, host Boaz Ashkenazy is joined by Taylor Black, Director of AI and Venture Ecosystems in Microsoft’s CTO Office. With a background as a B2B SaaS founder and deep tech venture studio leader, Taylor brings a rare blend of startup vision and enterprise expertise to the AI conversation.

Together, they explore the rise of agentic workflows, protocols like MCP, and the shifting interface of software in the age of AI. Taylor also reflects on the philosophical and economic implications of AI’s rapid evolution—from abundant intelligence to human decision-making limits. If you're curious about how Microsoft thinks about AI agents, or what the future of work might actually feel like, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Chapters:

[00:00] The Promise of AI and Collective Problem Solving

[00:32] Intro: Meet Taylor Black of Microsoft

[01:54] Inside the CTO’s Office and Innovation Labs

[03:53] From SaaS Founder to Deep Tech Studio Leader

[05:38] Agentic Workflows: Beyond the Hype

[08:46] Ecosystems, Authority, and Agent Infrastructure

[11:12] MCP: The Protocol Standard for AI Agents

[15:24] Microsoft's Vision of Agentic Interfaces

[18:34] Designing for Human Capacity in the AI Age

[23:15] The Hidden Risks and Philosophical Impacts of AI

[27:09] Scarcity vs Abundance: New Frontiers in Work

[29:12] Final Thoughts: A Future of Abundant Intelligence

Connect with Taylor Black

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/blacktaylor/

Connect with Boaz Ashkenazy

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/boazashkenazy

X: @boazashkenazy

Email: [email protected]

The Shift AI Podcast is syndicated by GeekWire, and we are grateful to have the show sponsored by Augmented AI Labs.  Our theme music was created by Dave Angel.