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Microsoft vice-chair and president Brad Smith is calling for stronger safety rules for artificial intelligence, arguing that the technology has advanced faster than the safeguards designed to keep it under control. His latest comments revive a debate familiar to Luxembourg, where he appeared more than two decades ago as Microsoft challenged European Union competition measures. Smith made the case for tougher AI oversight during an interview published by the BBC on 12 October and reiterated his position at the International AI Summit in Dublin two days later, according to Delano. He compared the regulation of AI with everyday consumer products, arguing that items such as milk cartons, washing machines and ovens face more extensive safety requirements than AI systems. “The power of AI has advanced faster than its security. Security needs to catch up,” Smith said, as quoted by Delano. His proposals go beyond voluntary commitments by technology companies. He advocates independent assessments of the most advanced AI models, requirements to report incidents and emergency mechanisms that could be activated if a system displayed dangerous behaviour. Smith has also criticised resistance to government intervention within the technology industry. At the same time, he has maintained that regulation should protect people without becoming excessively bureaucratic or stifling innovation. The challenge, as presented in his remarks, is to establish effective safety standards while allowing technological development to continue. The position marks a notable contrast with Microsoft's earlier dispute with European regulators. On 30 September 2004, Smith travelled to Luxembourg for a two-day hearing before the Court of First Instance of the European Communities, now part of the EU's General Court system. At the time, he was Microsoft's senior vice-president and general counsel, and the company was contesting measures imposed by the European Commission in an antitrust case. The Commission had accused Microsoft of abusing the dominant position of its Windows operating system and imposed a fine of €497 million. Before the hearing, Smith argued that the decision would harm European companies, software developers and consumers, while hindering innovation and slowing economic growth. In September 2007, Smith returned to Luxembourg as the court essentially upheld the Commission's decision and fine. Microsoft was required to provide competitors with certain information to improve interoperability with Windows. The two episodes concern different regulatory questions. Microsoft's earlier challenge focused on competition enforcement, while Smith's current appeal concerns safeguards for increasingly powerful AI systems. His latest comments nevertheless place Luxembourg's history with the technology company alongside a renewed European debate over how authorities should regulate fast-moving technologies. According to Delano, Smith has also advocated an international framework for AI safety to avoid a proliferation of incompatible national rules. The central question remains how governments can coordinate oversight and protect the public without unnecessarily obstructing innovation.
Microsoft vice-chair and president Brad Smith is calling for stronger safety rules for artificial intelligence, arguing that the technology has advanced faster than the safeguards designed to keep it under control. His latest comments revive a debate familiar to Luxembourg, where he appeared more than two decades ago as Microsoft challenged European Union competition measures.
Smith made the case for tougher AI oversight during an interview published by the BBC on 12 October and reiterated his position at the International AI Summit in Dublin two days later, according to Delano. He compared the regulation of AI with everyday consumer products, arguing that items such as milk cartons, washing machines and ovens face more extensive safety requirements than AI systems.
“The power of AI has advanced faster than its security. Security needs to catch up,” Smith said, as quoted by Delano. His proposals go beyond voluntary commitments by technology companies. He advocates independent assessments of the most advanced AI models, requirements to report incidents and emergency mechanisms that could be activated if a system displayed dangerous behaviour.
Smith has also criticised resistance to government intervention within the technology industry. At the same time, he has maintained that regulation should protect people without becoming excessively bureaucratic or stifling innovation. The challenge, as presented in his remarks, is to establish effective safety standards while allowing technological development to continue.
The position marks a notable contrast with Microsoft’s earlier dispute with European regulators. On 30 September 2004, Smith travelled to Luxembourg for a two-day hearing before the Court of First Instance of the European Communities, now part of the EU’s General Court system. At the time, he was Microsoft’s senior vice-president and general counsel, and the company was contesting measures imposed by the European Commission in an antitrust case.
The Commission had accused Microsoft of abusing the dominant position of its Windows operating system and imposed a fine of €497 million. Before the hearing, Smith argued that the decision would harm European companies, software developers and consumers, while hindering innovation and slowing economic growth.
In September 2007, Smith returned to Luxembourg as the court essentially upheld the Commission’s decision and fine. Microsoft was required to provide competitors with certain information to improve interoperability with Windows.
The two episodes concern different regulatory questions. Microsoft’s earlier challenge focused on competition enforcement, while Smith’s current appeal concerns safeguards for increasingly powerful AI systems. His latest comments nevertheless place Luxembourg’s history with the technology company alongside a renewed European debate over how authorities should regulate fast-moving technologies.
According to Delano, Smith has also advocated an international framework for AI safety to avoid a proliferation of incompatible national rules. The central question remains how governments can coordinate oversight and protect the public without unnecessarily obstructing innovation.
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