TechTECH WATCH

Microsoft president says UK is best placed to drive AI regulation

Microsoft president Brad Smith says the UK is best placed to lead AI rules, arguing milk and washing machines get more oversight than AI firms; the carton wins.

On air: Hank Ledger on The Five O'Clock
Published 4:33 PM ET, Monday, October 12, 2026

At a glance

First reported by TechCrunch: “Microsoft president says UK is best placed to drive AI regulation”.
Covered on BBN on Monday, October 12, 2026, at 4:33 PM ET on The Five O'Clock, by Hank Ledger.
Topics: Microsoft, UK, AI.
BBN covered this story before: Microsoft president: AI has fewer safety rules than milk (October 12).

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

TechCrunchMicrosoft president says UK is best placed to drive AI regulation

What BBN said about it

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorMicrosoft president Brad Smith says milk and washing machines face more oversight than AI companies, and he wants the United Kingdom to lead on fixing that.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorWith us is Bartholomew Yeung, Minister of Dairy and Digital Affairs for Lower Wexmoor.
Bartholomew YeungThank you, Hank. I said it first, in a pub, the Rusty Heifer. And the milk oversight is mine, entirely. I inspect it personally.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorSo milk is well watched. Why is the software that writes your emails watched less than a carton of semi-skimmed?
Bartholomew YeungBecause of the last administration. Total neglect.
Bartholomew YeungMeanwhile my milk standards are the envy of the continent, and I will not be taking questions on the other thing.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThe other thing is the subject of this interview.
Bartholomew YeungIs it? I said it first, in a pub, the Crooked Udder, that machines need rules. Washing machines have rules. I wrote those too.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorWashing machines.
Bartholomew YeungSpin cycles, Hank. Years of work. If AI had a spin cycle, we would not be here, and that is the previous minister's fault.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThe previous minister. Who was that?
Bartholomew YeungA cow, technically. Honorary. Very lax on oversight. I said it first, in a pub, the Gilded Churn, that a cow should never hold office.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorSo Britain leads on AI rules because it already regulates dairy, and you take credit for the dairy. Coming up later, how far will people go with a single fry?
Bartholomew YeungI have a laminated page of rules for that, too. I carry it everywhere. Page one is my triumph.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorAnd what does the page actually cover?
Bartholomew YeungMilk. Only milk. But beautifully laminated, and the AI companies are welcome to read it.