California Passes AI Regulation Bill

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Facts

• The California State Assembly on Wednesday passed SB 1047, which if signed into law would create new restrictions on artificial intelligence (AI).^[1]
• The Safe and Secure Innovation for Frontier Artificial Intelligence Models Act, which passed a final Senate vote and will now be sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk, would require companies to test their AI models and publicly disclose safety protocols they have in place to stop their models from being manipulated.^[2][3]
• Authored by Democratic State Sen. Scott Wiener, the bill has bipartisan support, as members have concerns that if future AI models lack guardrails they'll eventually be able to wreak havoc — including harming the state's electric grid or helping build chemical weapons.^[3]
• In addition, the bill grants the state attorney general the power to sue developers who break the law and requires developers to hire third-party auditors to oversee their safety practices. The bill also adds new protections for whistleblowers.^[4]
• Among those in opposition to the bill are AI companies OpenAI and Anthropic, and US Reps. Nancy Pelosi and Zoe Lofgren — both California Democrats. Their criticism led to the bill being amended to include civil rather than criminal penalties for violators.^[5]

Sources: ^[1]New York Times, ^[2]CBS, ^[3]Associated Press, ^[4]Reuters.com and ^[5]Verge.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by IEEE Spectrum. There's no doubt the positive effects of AI — including in the realms of medicine and science — are nearly unlimited. But one can't ignore the possible negative impacts it can have. A balance must be struck between unhindered development and stifling regulation, which is why this bill has been amended several times and does what it can to assure safe development of AI in California and across the globe.
• Narrative B, as provided by KQED. This bill may be well-intentioned but it's even more ill-informed. It will stifle innovation while not addressing specific harmful applications. As the capital of innovation and the birthplace of AI, California can do a better job of regulating while also working with the entrepreneurs and innovators who are making the world a better place rather than enlarging the bureaucracy.

Predictions