Microsoft says people matter more than AI amid safety concerns
ai-safety anthropic microsoft
| Source: The Verge | Original article
Microsoft releases a 37-page humanist AI code of conduct, emphasizing people over AI amid rising safety concerns and calls for a development slowdown.
Microsoft has unveiled a 37‑page “humanist AI code of conduct” that places people ahead of technology, declaring that AI models are not conscious and should not be built to mimic consciousness. The document, released today, is presented as a direct response to mounting safety concerns surrounding the rapid pace of AI model development.
The timing aligns with a broader industry call for restraint. Over the weekend, Anthropic’s chief executive Dario Amodei urged a coordinated slowdown after researchers warned that advances in AI could soon outstrip humanity’s ability to manage associated risks. The move adds a concrete policy statement to the chorus of caution that has been echoing across the sector.
Why this matters is twofold. First, Microsoft’s code signals that one of the world’s largest AI developers is willing to formalise ethical guardrails, potentially shaping how its own products—such as Copilot and Azure AI services—are built and deployed. Second, the stance dovetails with the debate we covered on 15 September, when analysts questioned whether the industry’s self‑imposed slowdown resembled a safety pact or an antitrust‑driven cartel. Microsoft’s public commitment could tilt the balance toward genuine safety collaboration, or it could be viewed as a strategic positioning ahead of tighter regulation.
Looking ahead, observers will watch how Microsoft operationalises the code: whether it translates into concrete changes to model training, testing and release processes, and how partners and competitors respond. The next weeks may also bring statements from regulators assessing whether such voluntary frameworks satisfy emerging policy expectations, and whether other AI firms will adopt similar human‑centric guidelines.
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