GoKawiilMicrosoft publishes 37-page AI code of conduct rejecting model consciousness claims
Microsoft released a 37-page 'humanist AI code of conduct' asserting that people matter more than AI and that AI models should not be designed to imitate consciousness. The document explicitly rejects granting AI legal personhood, welfare status, or rights, positioning Microsoft against ideas Anthropic has been exploring about model sentience.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The move highlights a growing rift among AI labs over how to treat increasingly capable systems, with Microsoft staking out a firmly anthropocentric stance as it works to become a top-tier AI developer competing with Google, Anthropic, and OpenAI. By committing publicly to keeping models subordinate to human control, Microsoft is also trying to differentiate itself on safety messaging amid broader industry warnings that AI capabilities may be outpacing our ability to safely manage them.
- Microsoft's new code of conduct declares AI models should not imitate consciousness or seek rights.
- The stance directly contradicts Anthropic's openness to AI consciousness and welfare research.
- Microsoft aims to become a top-four AI lab while emphasizing human oversight and control over its models.
Source: theverge.com — Tom Warren, 2026-09-14
Published there as: “Microsoft says ‘people matter more than AI’ following safety concerns”
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