Europe & Microsoft Forge AI Alliance: A Landmark Cooperation Pact

The Council of Europe and Microsoft have formalized their collaboration by signing a memorandum of understanding, creating a framework for exploring joint work in the crucial areas of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and responsible technological development. The signing ceremony took place at the Council of Europe's headquarters in Strasbourg, with Alain Berset, the Council’s Secretary General, and Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft, affixing their signatures to the agreement.

Secretary General Alain Berset highlighted the profound necessity for international rules in the face of rapid AI advancement. He articulated that a disregard for international law has led to ruptures in the world order, and AI's emergence within this context demands immediate attention to shared rules, as AI often moves faster than existing democratic safeguards. Berset stressed that engaging with businesses like Microsoft is a priority for the Council of Europe to ensure a responsible and ethical transformation brought about by technology.

The agreement is designed to promote human rights and democracy through technological development that is both responsible and inclusive. It also aims to address critical issues related to the rule of law and the challenges inherent in the digital environment. While the memorandum establishes a foundational framework, it does not immediately commit the organizations to a predefined set of new technology deployments; rather, all activities will be subject to mutual agreement and each organization’s mandate.

Potential areas of cooperation outlined in the memorandum include fostering dialogue through Microsoft’s Open Innovation Centre located in Strasbourg. The partners may also engage in sharing knowledge and good practices related to responsible technological development, with a particular focus on approaches that ensure inclusivity. Language diversity is another identified area for prospective collaboration, allowing for support for initiatives that promote linguistic and cultural diversity, including those focused on regional or minority languages. These remain prospective areas, contingent upon further agreement between the parties.

Brad Smith of Microsoft underscored the immense opportunities presented by AI, while emphasizing that its ultimate success will be measured by its ability to serve people effectively. He stated that the partnership with the Council of Europe exemplifies this principle, working to ensure that innovation remains firmly grounded in the fundamental tenets of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.

This memorandum also serves to further develop existing cooperation between the two organizations. Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab, for instance, already supports the vital damage assessment work of the Register of Damage for Ukraine project. Furthermore, the Council of Europe and Microsoft have a history of collaboration on cybercrime, with Microsoft having provided support for the Council of Europe’s Budapest Convention on Cybercrime through its Global Project on Cybercrime and the Cybercrime Octopus project. This prior work has focused on assisting countries in implementing the treaty while simultaneously strengthening data protection and rule-of-law safeguards in the digital realm.