Microsoft has made a public commitment to the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in an effort to foster trust in its development. Antony Cook, Microsoft’s corporate vice president and deputy general counsel, has pledged to make three “AI Customer Commitments” as part of the company’s efforts to ensure responsible AI development. This move comes as fears of the potential misuse of AI continue to grow, and Microsoft is joining other big players, like OpenAI, in their efforts to promote the responsible use of the technology.
Microsoft is prepared to play an active role in cooperating with governments to promote effective AI regulation. Cook shared that Microsoft has been on a responsible AI journey since 2017, harnessing the skills of nearly 350 engineers, lawyers, and policy experts dedicated to implementing a robust governance process that guides the design, development, and deployment of AI in safe, secure, and transparent ways.
The commitments include sharing Microsoft’s expertise while teaching others to develop AI safely, establishing a program to ensure AI applications are created to follow legal regulations, and pledging to support the company’s customers in implementing Microsoft’s AI systems responsibly within its partner ecosystem. Cook noted that “we know that these commitments are only the start, and we will have to build on them as both the technology and regulatory conditions evolve.”
Microsoft’s Bing Chat generative AI tool was recently developed, and the company will start by sharing key documents and methods that detail the company’s expertise and knowledge gained since beginning its journey into AI years ago. The company will also share training curriculums and invest in resources to teach others how to create a culture of responsible AI use within organizations working with the technology.
Microsoft will establish an “AI Assurance Program” to leverage its own experiences and apply the financial services concept called “Know your customer” to AI development. The company is calling this “KY3C” and is committing to work with customers in applying the KY3C obligation to “know one’s cloud, one’s customers, and one’s content.”
In its pledge to support its partners and customers in developing and using their own AI systems responsibly, Microsoft is leveraging a team of legal and regulatory experts around the world. PwC and EY are the first partners to be part of this program. The commitment to support customers in Microsoft’s partner ecosystem will involve helping them evaluate, test, adopt, and commercialize AI solutions.
Microsoft’s commitment to the responsible use of AI is a step in the right direction, as the technology continues to evolve and its potential impact on society becomes more apparent. By sharing its expertise and investing in resources to teach others how to develop AI safely, Microsoft is helping to ensure that the technology is used in a way that benefits society as a whole.
