Microsoft President Brad Smith calls for stricter AI regulation

Microsoft President Brad Smith has publicly advocated for more rigorous global regulation of artificial intelligence, arguing that current safety standards for AI are less stringent than those governing everyday consumer goods like milk and washing machines. In a recent interview, Smith emphasized that voluntary industry commitments are no longer sufficient to ensure public safety. He proposed a framework that includes mandatory incident reporting, notification requirements for victims of AI breaches, and the implementation of 'emergency brakes' to pause systems when necessary. While acknowledging the value of recent voluntary agreements, Smith warned that they primarily attract responsible actors, leaving the industry vulnerable to less scrupulous companies. He suggested that international bodies, such as the UK's AI Security Institute, could play a pivotal role in establishing enforceable safety standards, shifting the responsibility from corporate self-regulation to standardized, legally binding oversight.