Microsoft president says UK is best placed to drive AI regulation

Key Points:

• Microsoft president Brad Smith urges urgent global regulation of AI, highlighting that consumer products like milk and washing machines have more oversight than AI companies.
• Smith describes AI as both a “weapon and a tool” threatening global cybersecurity and calls for international safety rules, suggesting the U.K. is best positioned to lead these efforts due to its AI Security Institute’s role.
• Despite opposition from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has pressured companies to limit AI model sharing with the U.K., the British AI Security Institute continues to access and test major AI models.
• Smith criticizes voluntary self-regulation by AI companies as insufficient, emphasizing the need for legal obligations such as breach notifications, external approval before AI deployment, and kill switches to maintain human control.
• Smith advocates for calm but firm global cooperation on AI safety, expressing hope that Microsoft and the U.K. will play key roles in establishing effective AI governance.