A new AI safety initiative launches as Newsom vetoes California bill

Governor Newsom vetoes major AI regulation bill: California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed SB1047, a comprehensive artificial intelligence regulation bill authored by State Senator Scott Wiener, citing concerns about its broad scope and potential impact on AI innovation in the state.

• The bill aimed to establish safety and testing requirements for large-scale AI programs to prevent catastrophic risks.
• Newsom argued that the bill’s stringent standards applied even to basic functions of large systems, potentially hindering beneficial AI development.
• The governor expressed concern that the bill’s focus on large-scale models could create a false sense of security, overlooking potential dangers from smaller, specialized AI models.

New academic initiative announced: In place of the vetoed bill, Newsom has launched an initiative to develop AI testing and safety rules for California, led by prominent academics from Stanford and UC Berkeley.

• The initiative aims to create “responsible guardrails” for the deployment of generative AI.
• Key figures involved include Fei-Fei Li from Stanford’s AI lab and Jennifer Chayes, Dean of UC Berkeley’s College of Computing, Data Science, and Society.
• The exact form and outcomes of this initiative, whether it will result in an executive order, legislation, or other measures, remain unclear.

Legislative context and industry reactions: The veto of SB1047 comes after intense lobbying efforts by AI companies and industry stakeholders who argued the bill would stifle innovation and force businesses out of California.

• Newsom has signed 17 AI-related bills in the past month, addressing issues such as deepfakes, digital identity protection, and AI voice disclosures.
• Meta, a vocal opponent of SB1047, expressed support for the veto, stating the bill would have hindered AI innovation and job creation.
• The Future of Life Institute, which supported the bill, criticized the veto, arguing it leaves Californians vulnerable to risks from unregulated AI development.

Senator Wiener’s response: The bill’s author, Senator Scott Wiener, strongly disagreed with Newsom’s reasoning for the veto, defending the bill’s empirical basis and criticizing the governor’s approach.

• Wiener stated that the bill was crafted by leading AI experts and called the implications that it wasn’t based on empirical evidence “patently absurd.”
• He expressed disappointment that the governor hadn’t raised his concerns during the legislative process but committed to engaging with the new AI safety working group.
• Wiener emphasized that despite the setback, California will continue to lead on AI safety issues.

Broader implications for AI regulation: The veto of SB1047 and the announcement of the academic initiative highlight the ongoing challenges in balancing AI innovation with public safety concerns.

• The debate surrounding the bill has brought AI safety issues to the forefront of international discussions.
• The veto may influence future attempts at AI regulation in other states and at the federal level.
• The tension between rapid technological advancement and the need for appropriate safeguards remains a central challenge for policymakers and industry leaders alike.