By bbc.com
Publication Date: 2026-10-11 23:28:00
Artificial intelligence is advancing faster than the safeguards around it, and industry self-regulation is “not sufficient any longer”. That is according to Brad Smith, president of Microsoft. Speaking to Will Bain on BBC’s Big Boss Interview, Mr Smith said the world should worry more about AI safety than about any previous generation of digital technology in his 33 years in the industry.
Microsoft is one of the world’s largest AI developers and an investor in OpenAI. Mr Smith’s comments set out a position that goes beyond the “tremendous self-regulation” praised in a recent White House AI accord.
“Right now I’d argue that AI is moving forward faster than the speed of safety,” Mr Smith said. “That’s not good for the protection of the public. It’s not even good for the industry itself.”
Mr Smith set out three measures. The first is a “safety brake or emergency brake” on any AI system controlling autonomous devices or critical infrastructure, an idea often described as a kill switch. He…
