Microsoft Wants to Work with Trump Administration on Cybersecurity

At the 2018 Web Summit this week in Lisbon, Portugal, Microsoft president Brad Smith said the company wanted to work on a solution to protect civilians against cyber threats. According to Smith, concerns include the role of AI in the future of work and cyber threats to democracy.

• By Jessica Davis
• Nov 08, 2018

Microsoft wants to collaborate with Congress on establishing civilian cybersecurity measures, according to the company’s president.

At the 2018 Web Summit this week in Lisbon, Portugal, Microsoft president Brad Smith said the company wanted to work on a solution to protect civilians against cyber threats. According to Smith, concerns include the role of AI in the future of work and cyber threats to democracy.

"There are important things we need to address, we need to skill the population to be prepared for a new generation of work, [and] we need to bring broadband to every corner of not just the United States, but every country," Smith said.

Smith said he didn’t believe that cybersecurity would be a partisan issue. He added that Microsoft also wants to work with the Trump administration on dangers technology poses to society.

"We need to find ways to work with President Trump as we worked with President Obama," Smith said.

In addition to working with Congress and the Trump Administration, Microsoft aims to unite multiple global forces against cybersecurity threats.

"We're hoping to see governments as well as companies and organizations from across civil society endorse the kinds of principles that we need: principles that will protect civilians, principles that will protect elections, principles that will protect the availability of the internet," Smith said.