Microsoft Puts Human Control at Center of MAI Rules

Microsoft has released its first draft of the Humanist AI Code of Conduct and opened a six-week public consultation. The framework focuses on human control, clear safety limits, and rules for how future MAI systems should behave.

The draft places human control above operator policies and user preferences when instructions conflict. It also establishes Absolute Constraints that models must not break, covering topics such as weapons, mass harm, and child safety.

Gartner expects spending on AI models and platforms to reach $64.3 billion in 2026, up 63.4% from 2025. The rise in spending has raised attention on reliability and governance, with companies looking for more predictable model behavior when different instructions conflict.