Microsoft: 'People Matter More Than AI' Amid Safety Concerns

Microsoft has today published a comprehensive 37-page 'humanist AI code of conduct,' directly addressing the escalating global safety concerns surrounding the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence models. This significant move by the tech giant underscores a commitment to prioritizing human well-being and control in the age of AI. The release comes amidst a backdrop of increasing calls for caution within the AI community. Just last weekend, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei advocated for a coordinated slowdown in AI development. His remarks followed recent warnings from researchers who highlighted the potential for AI model progress to outpace humanity's ability to safely deploy increasingly complex systems, as well as to effectively verify and control the actions of autonomous AI agents. Microsoft's new code of conduct explicitly states that 'people matter more than AI,' setting a clear ethical framework for its development and deployment. The document also firmly rejects the notion of AI consciousness, asserting that AI models 'should not be designed to imitate consciousness.' Furthermore, Microsoft dismisses 'the pursuit of legal personhood,' or the idea that AI systems should be granted legal rights akin to humans, reinforcing a human-centric approach to AI governance.