Amy Hood on education
From Amy Hood Duke Commencement Address: Stay Curious When Things Stop Making Sense · · Duke University
“The most important thing I got in this place wasn't my economics degree. It was something I didn't realize I was learning at the time at Duke. It taught me how to learn, not what to learn, how to ask questions, how to sit with a problem I didn't understand and stay with it until something shifted.”
On , Amy Hood, Executive VP & CFO at Microsoft, spoke about education during Amy Hood Duke Commencement Address: Stay Curious When Things Stop Making Sense on Duke University.
About Amy Hood
On May 10, 2026, Hood delivered the commencement address at Duke University, her alma mater, where she received an honorary doctorate. In her speech, she told graduates that the most important thing she gained at Duke was learning how to learn, not what to learn, and encouraged them to "stay curious when things stop making sense." She described her own career path as having "a lot more flair, a lot more roller coaster, and certainly no well-orchestrated plan," and advised that "most of the choices I agonized over... had a perfectly accessible undo button." She also emphasized the value of community, calling it "the best return you'll ever get." On April 29, 2026, Hood participated in Microsoft's fiscal year 2026 third quarter earnings call. She reported that revenue was $82.9 billion, up 18% year-over-year, and that the company's AI business annual revenue run rate surpassed $37 billion, growing 123% year-over-year. Hood stated that Microsoft expects headcount to decrease year-over-year and that operating expense growth will be in the mid to high single digits. She also said the company expects to invest roughly $190 billion in capital expenditures for calendar year 2026, citing "higher demand signals and increasing product usage."