Microsoft released a 37-page code of conduct for its Microsoft AI model family on September 14, a document built around one deceptively simple premise: humans come first. The code explicitly states that AI models are not conscious and “should not be designed to imitate consciousness,” while rejecting any pursuit of legal personhood for AI systems.
The timing is no accident. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei published an open letter just days earlier warning that recursive self-improvement and unpredictable AI behavior pose escalating risks, and called for a coordinated slowdown across the industry. That letter drew public support from Sam Altman and Elon Musk.
What the code actually says
Microsoft’s code of conduct targets the company’s MAI model family, which spans reasoning, coding, image recognition, voice processing, and transcription capabilities. The core principle is straightforward: AI models must remain aligned with human objectives and under human control.
That means mandatory human oversight mechanisms, transparency requirements, and explicit prohibitions on harmful applications. The document sits within Microsoft’s broader Responsible AI framework, which received an update on September 1 with the publication of the company’s 2026 Responsible AI Transparency Report.
