Microsoft president backs deployment of AI safety evaluators

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Carter Smith/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesMicrosoft Corp. president Brad Smith said the company backs the use of independent evaluators for artificial intelligence.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountSmith’s comments coincided with the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where safety — and options for regulating the industry globally — have been top of mind for world leaders and corporate chiefs.In an interview with Bloomberg Television on Wednesday, Smith said AI safety won’t advance if left to one or two entities — a reference to the leading United States AI labs, OpenAI and Anthropic PBC.“The model companies are obviously critical, but so are companies like ours that produce the layer of software that controls AI agents, that monitors what they do,” he said.Breaking business news, incisive views, must-reads and market signals. Weekdays by 9 a.m.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Posthaste will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againSmith said Microsoft participated in AI safety discussions with its close partner OpenAI, through a safety board staffed by both companies that helps determine when models are safe to release. He also cited Microsoft’s support for an off-switch to keep advanced systems under human controls.“You really want safety to be built in multiple layers,” he said. “At times, you may want the government to be able to have the on-off switch, but why would you put that switch in only one place when you can put it in three or four?”Smith, who earlier announced that Microsoft would spend an additional US$2 billion in the Middle East, said it was the right time to invest in the region, despite the ongoing United States-Iran war.The company has already invested US$1.5 billion in G42, an Emirati tech firm, and agreed to use a planned AI data centre in the country. Smith confirmed in the interview that Microsoft still planned to use 200 megawatts of computing capacity at the facility.He also acknowledged that Microsoft would have to make adjustments to its climate goals, which committed the company to pull more carbon from the atmosphere than it emits by 2030.That timeline has appeared to slip out of reach, in part thanks to the company’s embrace of natural gas-fired plants being brought online quickly to serve AI data centres.“We do continue to believe that climate remains one of the most important issues of this century, but we’re now asking, well, can we do it in the ways that we thought six years ago?” Smith said. “And I think what we’re finding is we’re going to have to make some adjustments.”—With assistance from Mark Bergen.We apologize, but this video has failed to load.This advertisement has not loaded yet.Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. 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