Microsoft's Brad Smith: AI less regulated than milk, UK can lead
Microsoft president Brad Smith said in an ITV interview that AI faces fewer safety rules than washing machines and milk cartons, and the UK has a unique opening to lead on regulation.
Microsoft president Brad Smith said in an ITV interview on Friday that artificial intelligence is subject to fewer safety rules than washing machines and cartons of milk, and that the UK has a unique opening to lead on regulating the technology, according to ITV.
Smith pointed to the lack of US action on AI regulation as the reason for that opening. In Washington DC, he said, people do not look at the UK and London the way they look at Brussels, and he described that as a strength.
Industry pressure and the Washington backdrop
His comments come as major US AI companies, including Anthropic, OpenAI and Google DeepMind, have spoken in favor of an AI development slowdown. US President Donald Trump has said the US AI industry needs to accelerate to stay ahead of China, and would prefer companies to self-regulate rather than face government regulation.
In October 2025, at Trump's so-called Super Intelligence summit, AI bosses including Sundar Pichai, Dario Amodei, Mark Zuckerberg, Greg Brockman, Elon Musk and Jensen Huang signed a pact with tenets including self-regulation, safeguards against rogue pioneer models and independent auditors.
Critics said the accord allows firms to define what counts as safety and should be ignored as a distraction.
Quick answers
What did Brad Smith say about AI regulation?
The Microsoft president said AI is subject to fewer safety rules than washing machines and cartons of milk, and that the lack of US action gives the UK a unique opening to lead on regulating AI.
Where did Brad Smith make these comments?
In an ITV interview on Friday.