Why Microsoft and OpenAI leaders want stronger AI safety laws
Microsoft and OpenAI executives have called for stronger artificial intelligence safety laws, arguing that warnings about potential risks are no longer sufficient as AI capabilities advance.
Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith made the appeal Wednesday at the International AI Summit 2026 in Ireland, saying safeguards had failed to keep pace with the rapid development of AI technologies, Anadolu Agency reported.
“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,” Smith said.
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He added that companies and their leaders should be prepared to slow development when necessary to address safety concerns.
Describing 2026 as “a sobering year for AI safety,” Smith pointed to 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.
Smith urged technology companies to support reasonable regulation, including requirements for reporting AI-related incidents, notifying victims of AI-enabled security breaches and conducting independent evaluations. He also called for evaluation findings to be shared with governments and customers.
“But we need law. We need regulation. It needs to be sensible. It needs to be balanced. It needs to take into account innovation,” Smith said.
“The power of AI has moved faster than the safety for it. Safety needs to catch up,” he added.
OpenAI Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar also voiced support for international cooperation on AI governance, saying the company had advocated global regulation.
Speaking at the same event, Friar said OpenAI was holding back an unreleased model while conducting additional safety and alignment work.
However, she warned that slowing AI development too aggressively could leave cybersecurity professionals at a disadvantage against malicious actors who already have access to powerful tools.
“So the folks with malicious intent have the tools. So we need to make sure the defenders have the tools,” she said.
Friar said OpenAI had used AI to identify vulnerabilities in its own infrastructure and address them rapidly.
“We found the vulnerabilities, we patched them at machine speed,” she said.
She also cautioned against using fear to frame the debate over AI, calling instead for practical solutions and greater transparency.
“Selling fear is not a good way to come to the world. We have to sell solutions and solutions that feel transparent, open, honest, and so on,” Friar said.