California AI Safety Bill Advances Amid Controversy

According to Cointelegraph, lawmakers in California have advanced an artificial intelligence (AI) safety bill, Senate Bill (SB) 1047, which has sparked controversy within the tech industry. The bill passed the State Assembly on August 28 and now awaits a decision from Governor Gavin Newsom, who has until September 30 to either sign it into law or veto it. SB 1047, authored by Democratic Senator Scott Wiener from San Francisco, aims to implement safety testing for advanced AI models. The bill targets models costing over $100 million to develop or those requiring significant computing power. It mandates developers, including major companies like OpenAI, Meta, and Google, to outline a “kill switch” for unmanageable models and involve third-party auditors in safety audits. Additionally, developers could face lawsuits from the state attorney general if their models pose ongoing threats. The bill has faced opposition from key tech industry players and state politicians, who argue it could stifle innovation. Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi has criticized the bill, calling it “more harmful than helpful” for California’s AI development leadership. Neil Chilson, head of AI policy at the Abundance Institute, warned that the bill’s “reasonable care” standard could inadvertently impact smaller companies and models. Despite the pushback, some support exists for SB 1047. Amazon’s Anthropic has expressed that the benefits of the bill may outweigh the costs, though some elements remain unclear. Eric Daimler, a former computer science professor and Obama Administration alumnus, has called for Washington to consider SB 1047 as an example, emphasizing the need for effective AI safety measures. SB 1047 is not the only AI-related legislation under discussion in California. SB 1220, which seeks to ban AI use in call centers providing welfare and health services, has also raised industry concerns. Conversely, AB 3211, requiring watermarks on AI-generated content, has garnered support from companies like OpenAI and Microsoft. Billionaire Elon Musk has also shown favor for comprehensive AI safety regulations. Cointelegraph has reached out to California legal experts and AI developers to gain further insights into the ongoing debates surrounding these bills.