Newsom vetoes controversial California AI safety bill

Sep 30

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Alex Delia (Producer), Jack Henry (Video Editor)

Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a landmark California bill that would have established the nation’s first safety regulations for artificial intelligence. The proposed legislation sought to require AI companies to test their systems, publicly disclose safety measures and provide whistleblower protections.

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Proponents of the bill argued that it was a necessary step to address the risks AI poses to infrastructure and public safety, with potential threats ranging from manipulating electric grids to creating chemical weapons.

However, Newsom opposed the bill, stating its strict requirements could hinder innovation by imposing regulations even on low-risk AI systems.

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California is home to 32 of the world’s top 50 AI companies.

Newsom expressed concern that the legislation could drive developers out of the state. Instead, he announced a partnership with AI industry leaders to create more flexible safety guidelines.

California Gov. Newsom is pushing a new oil refinery mandate to address high gas prices by requiring oil companies to keep extra fuel on hand — Getty Images

While the veto is seen as a win for tech companies, experts warn that it leaves rapidly advancing AI systems unregulated.

Supporters of the bill, including Elon Musk’s X and AI firm Anthropic, argued that it could have introduced much-needed transparency in an industry that remains largely unregulated.

Critics of the bill feared the regulations might discourage investment and development, particularly in open-source software. Despite the veto, similar efforts are already inspiring lawmakers in other states to explore AI safety measures.

California continues to lead AI development, with the state already working to combat election deepfakes, protect Hollywood workers from unauthorized likeness use and prevent AI-driven discrimination in hiring practices.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration has proposed an AI Bill of Rights, but federal legislation regulating the rapidly growing industry has yet to be introduced.

Tags: AI, AI Act, Artificial Intelligence, California, Deepfakes, Elon Musk, Gavin Newsom, Generative AI, Joe Biden, X

KARAH RUCKER: CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM VETOED A LANDMARK BILL THAT WOULD HAVE ESTABLISHED THE NATION’S FIRST SAFETY REGULATIONS FOR LARGE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE MODELS.

THE BILL AIMED TO REQUIRE A-I COMPANIES TO TEST THEIR MODELS, PUBLICLY DISCLOSE SAFETY PROTOCOLS AND PROVIDE PROTECTIONS FOR WHISTLEBLOWERS. PROPONENTS OF THE BILL SAY IT WAS A CRUCIAL STEP IN HOLDING TECH GIANTS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE GROWING RISKS POSED BY A-I. THESE RISKS COULD RANGE FROM A-I MANIPULATION OF INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE ELECTRIC GRIDS, TO EVEN THE CREATION OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS.

BUT NEWSOM PUSHED BACK, SAYING THE BILL’S RIGID REQUIREMENTS WOULD APPLY EVEN TO LOW-RISK A-I SYSTEMS, POTENTIALLY STIFLING INNOVATION IN CALIFORNIA’S THRIVING TECH INDUSTRY. HE NOTES THAT 32 OF THE WORLD’S TOP 50 A-I COMPANIES ARE BASED IN THE STATE… AND IMPOSING SUCH REGULATIONS COULD DRIVE DEVELOPERS ELSEWHERE. INSTEAD… NEWSOM ANNOUNCED A PARTNERSHIP WITH INDUSTRY PIONEERS TO DEVELOP MORE FLEXIBLE SAFETY GUIDELINES.

WHILE THE VETO IS SEEN AS A VICTORY FOR TECH COMPANIES AND STARTUPS, SOME EXPERTS WARN IT LEAVES CRITICAL SYSTEMS UNREGULATED AS THEY RAPIDLY EVOLVE. COMPANIES LIKE ELON MUSK’S X AND A-I FIRM ANTHROPIC SUPPORTED THE BILL… SAYING IT COULD HAVE INTRODUCED TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN AN INDUSTRY STILL LARGELY UNREGULATED.

CRITICS OF THE BILL ARGUED THAT THE REGULATIONS COULD DISCOURAGE INVESTMENT IN A-I DEVELOPMENT AND OPEN-SOURCE SOFTWARE. STILL… MANY BELIEVE THIS DEBATE IS FAR FROM OVER. SIMILAR MEASURES ARE ALREADY INSPIRING LAWMAKERS IN OTHER STATES TO EXPLORE A-I SAFETY REGULATIONS.

CALIFORNIA REMAINS AT THE FOREFRONT OF A-I DEVELOPMENT. THE STATE IS WORKING TO CRACK DOWN ON ELECTION DEEPFAKES, PROTECT HOLLYWOOD WORKERS FROM UNAUTHORIZED LIKENESS USE AND PREVENT A-I DRIVEN DISCRIMINATION IN HIRING PRACTICES.

WHILE THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION PROPOSED A BLUEPRINT FOR AN A-I BILL OF RIGHTS… LAWMAKERS IN WASHINGTON HAVE YET TO INTRODUCE ANY LEGISLATION TO REGULATE THIS RAPIDLY GROWING INDUSTRY AND PROTECT USERS.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS… I’M KARAH RUCKER.