The Dispute Index

Brad Smith

Portrait of Brad Smith
U.S. Department of Defense photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Tim D. Godbee, U.S. Navy

Brad Smith is vice chair and president of Microsoft, overseeing its legal, corporate-affairs and technology-policy work.

Website (opens in a new tab)
X (opens in a new tab)LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)

What DI has documented

DI has documented statements by Brad Smith on Artificial Intelligence, Education, and Immigration Policy, among other topics. Read the quotations, original sources and related cases below.

Topics in this coverage

Statements by Brad Smith

Portrait of Brad Smith

Brad Smith

Role at the time: Brad Smith, Microsoft president, in a BBC interview released October 11; recording date not established

Challenged the characterization

Statement summary

BBC reports Smith saying most visa applications concerned existing employees and every green-card applicant already worked for Microsoft. He says the company also hired 9,000 Americans the previous year.

“got the maths wrong”
Open the original interview (opens in a new tab)Microsoft President: Britain Should Write World's AI RulesBBC episode description, paragraph beginning Mr Smith also responded
Why we used this label

The reference point is Microsoft's alleged replacement of American workers through visa programs. Smith challenges the interpretation of the figures used to support that allegation.

Read statementDid Microsoft replace laid-off American workers with H-1B workers, as JD Vance claims?
Portrait of Brad Smith

Brad Smith

Role at the time: Vice Chair and President, Microsoft

Defended or excused

Statement summary

Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith said Microsoft will extend the AFT/UFT student-data privacy standard "to every school district across the country," effective November 1, 2026.

“extend [the standard] to every school district across the country”
Open source (opens in a new tab)Microsoft commits to sweeping AI privacy rules for students nationwide
Why we used this label

Smith defends Microsoft's approach by committing to extend the privacy standard nationwide, positioning the company as addressing the concerns behind the pause rather than opposing AI use in schools.

Read statementShould schools pause student-facing AI despite Microsoft’s new privacy safeguards?

A participant is a subject of the case. A speaker has a statement documented in it. A commentator has an opinion or editorial documented in it.