Suleyman Challenges National Security Framing on AI Regulation

Microsoft AI chief Mustafa Suleyman has urged the US government to prioritize AI safety over rivalries with China. He appeared on CNBC's Squawk Box on September 18, making a case that would have sounded radical from a Big Tech executive just two years ago.

Suleyman argued that the US needs AI safety regulation and framing the conversation around competition with Beijing is just a convenient way to avoid doing the hard work. He drew parallels to other domains where powerful capabilities demanded governance frameworks, echoing historical precedents like nuclear safety.

The comments came alongside Microsoft's unveiling of the 'Humanist AI Code of Conduct,' a document that stakes out the position that AI should remain subordinate to human interests and agency.