Microsoft has released a 37-page document outlining a “humanist AI code of conduct” as anxieties grow regarding the safety and rapid advancement of artificial intelligence systems.
The announcement follows a weekend call by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei for the industry to coordinate a slowdown in AI development. This appeal came after researchers recently cautioned that the pace of AI model progress may exceed humanity’s ability to safely deploy complex systems, verify their operations, or maintain control over autonomous agents.
In the new guidelines, Microsoft explicitly states that “people matter more than AI.” The company clarifies that AI models lack consciousness and should not be engineered to mimic it. Furthermore, the document rejects the pursuit of legal personhood for AI systems, closing the loop on the idea that such entities should hold legal status.
The release marks a significant step for the tech giant in addressing ethical frameworks as the industry grapples with the implications of increasingly powerful intelligent systems.
Slow down? Sure. But investors won’t let them pause. Where is the enforcement mechanism here?
I am relieved to see them reject legal personhood for AI. That concept has gone far enough.
Does this actually apply to OpenAI or Google? Or just a PR move to ease public anxiety?
A 37-page document won’t stop the race. I want to see concrete engineering changes, not just words.
People matter more than AI—finally, a clear stance. It is high time tech giants set ethical boundaries.