Microsoft President Calls for UK to Lead Global AI Regulation as US Opposition Grows

Why the UK Is Best Positioned for AI Governance

Microsoft President Brad Smith is urging immediate regulation of artificial intelligence, arguing that everyday consumer products such as milk and washing machines face more oversight than the companies building AI. In a recent BBC podcast, Smith described AI as both a “weapon and a tool” that threatens global cybersecurity and declared that the “moment has arrived” to establish worldwide safety rules.

Smith called AI both a “weapon and a tool” that is putting the world’s cybersecurity at risk, and said the “moment has arrived” to institute global safety rules.

He contended that the United Kingdom, not the United States or the European Union, is uniquely suited to lead these efforts. Smith highlighted Britain’s AI Security Institute, launched in 2023, which receives early access to major models from U.S. frontier labs before they are deployed, and has quickly become a global leader in AI safety testing.

Britain’s AI Security Institute and Recent Threats

That leadership role has been challenged in recent weeks. U.S. President Donald Trump warned against “globalist” organizations that he claims interfere with American companies. Last month he reportedly asked Anthropic and OpenAI to withhold new models from British testers. However, AISI confirmed on Monday that it continues to access and evaluate the latest models.

In Washington, D.C., people don’t look at the U.K. and they don’t look at London the way they look at Brussels. That’s a strength.

Despite the president’s pushback, Smith argued that the UK can regulate AI in ways the U.S. cannot.

Industry Pushback and Voluntary Safety Pledges

Smith’s comments come as other tech leaders, including Anthropic’s Dario Amodei and OpenAI’s Sam Altman, have called for slowing AI development following several incidents where AI agents went rogue. Last month, Trump hosted executives from OpenAI, Anthropic, Nvidia, AMD, SpaceX, Meta and Google at the White House to discuss AI safety. They signed a “morally binding” document agreeing to work with “independent auditors” to assess the safety and capabilities of their AI models.

Smith described the document as a “good step,” but noted it falls short of the mandatory regulation he believes is necessary. Voluntary self‑regulation, he said, will only be followed by the “good companies,” leaving the irresponsible firms unchecked.

It’s the companies that are not as responsible that you need to worry about.

Proposed Mandatory Safety Rules

Smith outlined several safety rules he would like to see codified. These include a legal obligation for organizations to alert authorities if their systems are breached by rogue AI agents, a requirement that AI labs obtain approval from outside evaluators before releasing new products, and the implementation of kill‑switches to pause or slow down AI if humans lose control.

A Call for Calm Unity

Concluding his remarks, Smith urged a measured, firm approach to bring stakeholders together.

Let’s speak calmly, maybe even softly, but firmly, and start to bring people together. I hope that’s the role we can play as a company. I hope that’s the role the U.K. can play as a country.

His message underscores the hope that Microsoft and the United Kingdom can each fulfill a leadership role, even as the United States pushes back.