Microsoft president urges urgent global AI rules and independent safety checks

London, United Kingdom. Microsoft president Brad Smith has urged governments to establish global rules for artificial intelligence urgently, with independent evaluators assessing new developments. In a BBC interview published on Monday, he said AI faced fewer safety requirements than milk.

Proposed safeguards

Smith said international standards should require notification of anyone whose system is compromised by a rogue AI agent. He also called for an emergency mechanism to halt such activity and a legal obligation for companies to produce reports on incidents.

He argued that experience in regulating other products should inform the approach to AI safety.

“Right now, your washing machine is subject to more safety rules than AI. Every carton of milk that you see in the grocery store is subject to safety rules and inspection.”

Britain’s role in regulation

Smith identified Britain as well placed to lead AI regulation because of its AI Security Institute, established under former prime minister Rishi Sunak.

Through voluntary agreements, the institute gains access to major AI models before deployment so it can evaluate their capabilities and risks.

Smith said Washington officials regarded London very differently from Brussels, where the AI Act sets regulatory requirements according to risk levels.

Debate over development

Anthropic, OpenAI and other technology companies have begun reporting rogue or unwanted conduct by AI agents. Those disclosures form part of an international debate over the rapidly advancing technology, in which researchers have warned that AI could eventually pose an existential threat to humanity.

Calls by some companies to slow AI development have also prompted debate about executives’ possible motives. Questions include whether they seek rules that protect their companies’ existing lead, want to head off a wider backlash from governments, or simply aim to curb the rapid pace of spending.