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The use of AI is never a purely technical matter: when it enters processes that affect people’s lives, it touches on rights, opportunities, status and freedom"

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Microsoft, Council of Europe Sign AI Framework on Human Rights and Democracy

Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset and Microsoft President Brad Smith stand at podiums during an event at the Council of Europe headquarters in Strasbourg.
October 9, 2026 12:51 PM IST | Written by Supriya Singh | Edited by Pratima O Pareek

The Council of Europe and Microsoft have signed a framework agreement at the Council of Europe’s headquarters in Strasbourg to promote responsible and inclusive technological development, uphold human rights, democracy and the rule of law, and address challenges posed by artificial intelligence (AI) and the wider digital environment.

Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft., said, “AI is creating extraordinary opportunities, but its success will ultimately be measured by how well it serves people.”

Under the agreement, the two organisations will explore potential areas of cooperation, including dialogue through Microsoft’s Open Innovation Centre in Strasbourg, sharing knowledge and good practices on responsible technological development, and initiatives promoting linguistic and cultural diversity, including regional and minority languages.

“Disregard for international law has caused the rupture in the world order. AI is arriving in the middle of that rupture, with force taking the place of shared rules,” said Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

Berset warned that AI is advancing faster than democratic safeguards can keep pace. “No technology has ever needed these rules more, since AI moves faster than our democratic safeguards,” he added.

The framework will also build on existing cooperation between the two organisations, including work on the Register of Damage for Ukraine. Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab is already supporting damage assessments using AI and satellite analysis.

Also Read: Microsoft Unveils Code of Conduct for ‘Humanist AI Models: “AI To Remain Subservient to Humanity”

Authors

  • AI FrontPage Reporter Supriya Singh

    Supriya Singh is a Reporter at AI FrontPage covering the AI & Education and AI & Jobs beats. She brings six years of print and digital experience, including three years at The Asian Age, where she reported on higher education, Delhi government, and crime. She is based in Delhi-NCR.

    LinkedIn
  • Pratima Pareek, Editor and Co-founder of AI FrontPage

    Pratima O Pareek is an Editor and Co-Founder of AI FrontPage. A gold medalist in Mass Communication and Journalism, she's worked across national and international newsrooms, bringing sharp editorial instincts and a commitment to clarity. She believes in cutting through the noise to deliver stories that actually matter.
    Off the clock, she watches offbeat cinema, follows tennis, and explores new places like a traveler, not a tourist.

    LinkedIn

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