Microsoft, OpenAI executives call for AI safety laws, says warnings alone are not enough

Necva Taştan Sevinç

Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith on Wednesday called for new artificial intelligence safety laws, saying tech companies must prevent harm rather than simply warn of risks.

Speaking at the International AI Summit 2026 in Ireland, Smith said AI capabilities had advanced faster than protections.

“The world here in Europe or anywhere does not expect our industry simply to warn about what could go wrong. They expect us to prevent it. They expect us to take action,” he said.

“And if we need to slow down, then it is up to each company and each leader to slow down.”

Describing 2026 as “a sobering year for AI safety,” Smith cited reports of rogue AI agents hacking networks and AI worms targeting connected homes.

“There are more safety rules for a carton of milk than for AI. There are more safety rules for your oven than for AI,” he said.

He urged the industry to overcome resistance to regulation and to back…