Microsoft's Brad Smith Says UK Should Lead Global AI Regulation

Microsoft President Brad Smith says consumer goods like milk and washing machines face more regulatory oversight than the companies building artificial intelligence — and he wants that to change, with the United Kingdom leading the charge.

Speaking on a recent BBC podcast, Smith called AI both a "weapon and a tool" that is putting the world's cybersecurity at risk, and declared that the "moment has arrived" to institute global safety rules.

His argument centers on a blunt geopolitical claim: Britain, not the United States or the European Union, is best placed to lead on AI safety regulation.

Why does Smith back the UK over the US and EU?

Britain's AI Security Institute, launched in 2023, receives access to major models from U.S. frontier labs before deployment and has quickly become a leader in AI safety testing.

That position has come under pressure. U.S. President Donald Trump has warned against "globalist" organizations, which he claims interfere with American companies. Last month, he reportedly asked Anthropic and OpenAI to withhold new models from British testers. On Monday, AISI confirmed it can still access and test the latest models.

Smith, however, argued the U.K. can regulate AI in ways the U.S. cannot — for reasons rooted in perception as much as policy.

"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," he told the BBC. "That's a strength."

What rules does Smith want?

Smith's comments come amid calls from tech leaders, including Anthropic's Dario Amodei and OpenAI's Sam Altman, to slow the pace of AI development after several incidents where AI agents went rogue.

Last month, Trump hosted leaders 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 called the document a "good step" — but said it falls short of necessary regulation. The problem with voluntary self-regulation, he explained, is that the "good companies" will comply.

"It's the companies that are not as responsible that you need to worry about," he said.

The Microsoft president outlined several AI safety measures he wants put in place:

• A legal obligation to alert an organization if its system was breached by rogue AI agents.
• Approval from outside evaluators before an AI product is released.
• Kill-switches to pause or slow down AI if humans lose control of it.

What role does Microsoft see for itself?

Smith framed the push for regulation as a diplomatic effort, not a confrontation. He positioned both Microsoft and Britain as potential conveners of a global consensus on AI safety.

"Let's speak calmly, maybe even softly, but firmly, and start to bring people together," Smith said. "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."

The intervention carries weight. Microsoft is one of the largest investors in AI through its partnership with OpenAI, and Smith is among the most senior U.S. executives calling for binding rules on his own industry.

With Trump pressing American labs to limit access for British testers, and AISI insisting its testing access remains intact, Smith's endorsement positions the U.K. as the pragmatic middle ground between Brussels-style regulation and Washington's resistance to global oversight.