Newsom vetoes controversial California AI safety bill

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.