Microsoft President: AI Needs Global Rules

Brad Smith, the president of Microsoft, has argued that artificial intelligence is currently less regulated than milk, highlighting what he sees as a significant gap in oversight of fast-advancing technology.

Speaking publicly, Smith called for global rules to govern how AI is developed and used, warning that national approaches alone may not be sufficient given the technology's rapid, borderless growth.

He also suggested that the United Kingdom is in the "best position" to lead international efforts to create such rules, though the summary does not detail why he believes this or what form UK leadership might take.

The comparison to milk, a product subject to strict health and safety standards, was used to illustrate how comparatively unregulated AI remains despite its growing influence on business, communication and decision-making.

Smith's remarks reflect a broader, ongoing debate among policymakers, technology executives and researchers about how to balance innovation with safety as AI systems become more powerful and widely used.

Calls for international cooperation on AI governance have grown in recent years, as companies and governments grapple with questions about accountability, transparency and the potential risks of unregulated AI development.

As a senior figure at one of the world's largest technology companies, Smith's comments carry weight in discussions about how the industry should be governed going forward.

It remains unclear what specific regulatory steps the UK or other nations might take in response to such calls, or whether a unified global framework for AI is realistically achievable in the near term.

Nonetheless, the statement adds to mounting pressure on governments to address what many see as a widening gap between AI's capabilities and the rules designed to manage them.