Microsoft is joining the calls for slower AI development. A new code is meant to govern how the company trains and runs its own models. But when it comes to how those models see themselves, Microsoft draws a sharp line between itself and Anthropic.
Microsoft AI has published a code of conduct for its MAI models. The document lays out values, behavioral limits, and how to handle conflicting goals. Going forward, it's meant to sit at the top of the rulebook, guiding training, technical controls, and evaluation, while operator rules and user requests rank below it.
For now, Microsoft doesn't train its models on the code. After a six-week public consultation, a revised version is due around the end of 2026 and will guide model development starting in 2027. The code applies to Microsoft's own models, so it doesn't automatically cover third-party models running in Microsoft products.
The core rule is that human control comes first. To keep it, Microsoft says it's willing to give up generality, autonomy, or performance if needed. "If it isn’t safe we shouldn’t build it," Microsoft AI chief Mustafa Suleyman told The Information. The code sets no specific speed limit.
The release follows Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's call to slow the industry's pace of development. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella backed the call over the weekend, as did executives at OpenAI, xAI, and Meta. Microsoft is also open to outside auditors checking whether it actually slows down, The Information reports, citing a person familiar with the matter.
