In pic: Microsoft president Brad Smith
Microsoft president Brad Smith has once again made a strong case for AI safety rules. He argued that artificial intelligence (AI) needs stronger oversight as the technology becomes more powerful and its potential risks grow.
Speaking to the BBC's Big Boss Interview podcast, Smith said governments should set legal requirements for companies developing AI systems, including incident reporting, independent evaluations, and mechanisms to prevent the technology from operating outside human control.“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,” Smith said.His comments come as US President Donald Trump pushes for the industry to regulate itself, arguing that excessive restrictions could weaken American companies against Chinese rivals. However, Smith believes that existing product safety standards offer a starting point for regulating AI, rather than leaving companies to decide how much oversight is necessary.
Microsoft president calls for stronger AI safety regulations
Smith described AI as both a “tool and a weapon” and urged governments to begin establishing safety requirements. He said AI companies should have “emergency brakes”, often called kill switches, that can pause or slow down systems if they behave unexpectedly.
He also called for a legal obligation to report incidents and inform people affected when an AI system goes rogue.“We know how to do this for other products,” Smith said. “We should build on that knowledge and think about how to apply it to AI.”Smith also suggested that, in certain circumstances, independent government evaluators should assess AI products before release. His proposals come amid expert concerns about the potential risks of increasingly capable AI models and autonomous agents.
How Brad Smith's stance differs from Donald Trump's
Smith's position differs from Trump's approach to AI development. The US president has repeatedly argued that winning the AI race matters for American competitiveness and has opposed regulations that could slow domestic companies.Smith said he believed the UK could help set international AI safety standards, citing its AI Security Institute and technical capabilities.“In the world of technology, in the tech sector, most people that I know would say, if you ask them, name the country that is the leader in having this technical capability, they would say, it's very simple. It's the United Kingdom. They are the best,” he added.He also suggested that Washington could be more receptive to the UK leading discussions on AI standards than to similar efforts from the European Union.“When you look at AI agents that have escaped human control, when you look at models that are so powerful that they're putting the world's cybersecurity at risk. I would say: The moment has arrived,” Smith noted.
Microsoft backs industry commitments but seeks more
Smith welcomed a recent agreement signed by executives from major US technology companies at the White House.
The commitments included working with independent auditors to assess whether AI systems function as intended and avoid unintended access to technical systems.Smith said Microsoft was willing to sign the agreement but argued that voluntary commitments alone would not be enough.“It's a good step, it's a necessary step... But I don't think it's sufficient any longer,” he highlighted.He added that voluntary measures could work for responsible companies but might not adequately address risks from businesses that fail to follow appropriate safeguards.“It's the companies that are not as responsible that you need to worry about,” Smith explained.