Council of Europe and Microsoft agree cooperation on responsible AI

he Council of Europe and Microsoft have signed a cooperation agreement aimed at protecting human rights, democracy and the rule of law as artificial intelligence develops. The memorandum of understanding was signed in Strasbourg on 6 October by Secretary General Alain Berset and Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith.

A framework for joint work
The agreement provides a basis for exploring shared initiatives, with individual activities requiring mutual agreement and remaining within each organisation’s responsibilities.

Possible cooperation includes discussions through Microsoft’s Open Innovation Centre in Strasbourg and exchanges of knowledge about responsible technology development. Initiatives supporting linguistic and cultural diversity, including regional and minority languages, are also identified.

Berset warned that technological change was advancing faster than democratic safeguards. Smith said AI’s value should be judged by its benefits for people.

Ukraine and cybercrime projects
The partnership will build on work supporting the Register of Damage for Ukraine. Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab already contributes to damage assessment using artificial intelligence and satellite analysis.

Previous cooperation has focused on cybercrime, including support for implementing the Budapest Convention through international assistance projects. That work also addresses data protection and safeguards associated with the rule of law.

Part of a wider governance agenda
The agreement sits alongside the Council of Europe’s broader work on AI governance. Its Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law opened for signature in September 2024.

The convention is the first international legally binding treaty in this field. It seeks to ensure that activities throughout the lifecycle of AI systems respect fundamental rights while allowing technological progress and innovation.

Its provisions address risk and impact assessments, procedural safeguards and remedies for relevant human-rights violations. They also allow parties to consider restrictions on uses judged incompatible with human rights, democracy or the rule of law.

Implementation remains the next step
The Microsoft memorandum establishes a route for cooperation, with specific projects still dependent on agreement between the parties.

Its practical significance will therefore depend on how the proposed dialogue, knowledge-sharing and existing partnerships develop into concrete activities. The announcement places responsible innovation and the protection of democratic institutions at the centre of that process.

Newshub Editorial in Europe – 8 October 2026