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Microsoft's Brad Smith says AI faces fewer safety rules than a carton of milk
Microsoft president Brad Smith told ITV that AI is subject to less regulation than everyday products such as washing machines and milk. He said he hopes Microsoft and the UK can play a leading role in AI regulation. His comments come as the Trump administration favors industry self regulation under a pact signed by major AI leaders.
Key points
- Brad Smith told ITV that washing machines face more safety rules than AI.
- He said he hopes Microsoft and the UK can lead on AI regulation.
- US AI leaders signed a self regulation pact at Trump's Super Intelligence summit.
What happened: Microsoft president Brad Smith told ITV on Friday that AI faces fewer safety rules than common household products, Engadget reported. "Right now, your washing machine is subject to more safety rules than AI," Smith said, adding that "Every carton of milk that you see in the grocery store is subject to safety rules and inspection."
The details: Smith said that in Washington, people do not view the UK and London the way they view Brussels, and called that "a strength." He said he hopes Microsoft and the UK can play a leading role in AI regulation. Referring to models powerful enough to put "the world's cybersecurity at risk," he said "the moment has arrived."
Background: President Donald Trump has said the US AI industry needs to accelerate to stay ahead of China and prefers that AI companies regulate themselves. At Trump's "Super Intelligence" summit, leaders including Sundar Pichai, Dario Amodei, Mark Zuckerberg, Greg Brockman, Elon Musk and Jensen Huang signed a pact built on self regulation, safeguards against pioneer models going rogue and "independent auditors" to assess models. One critic told the BBC the pact lets firms "define what counts as safety."
What to watch: Smith did not describe a concrete UK policy proposal, and no government response was reported. How the pact's independent auditors would be chosen has not been disclosed.
Our take
Rules on how AI tools are tested and audited may tighten, so buyers should track which vendors are pushing for or against outside oversight.