A controversial bill requiring developers of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) models to adopt safety measures has just passed the state legislature and is poised to become California law.
The bill, SB 1047, would require developers of future advanced AI models to create guardrails to prevent the technology from being misused to conduct cyberattacks on critical infrastructure such as power plants.Developers would need to submit their safety plans to the attorney general, who could hold them liable if AI models they directly control were to cause harm or imminent threat to public safety.The bill, introduced by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), passed the state Assembly on Wednesday, with 41 votes in favor and nine opposed. On Thursday, the measure was approved by the state Senate in a concurrence vote. It now heads to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office, though it’s unclear whether Newsom will sign or veto the bill.“Innovation and safety can go hand in hand — and California is leading the way,” Wiener said in a statement.
To give you a clearer picture of who introduced the bill, let me show you, Scott Wiener.
Given the nature of what Wiener supports, it is little wonder that tech companies could drive AI companies from the state and hinder innovation.
Some Democrats in U.S. Congress, including Representative Nancy Pelosi, also opposed it. Proponents include Tesla, opens new tab CEO Elon Musk, who also runs an AI firm called xAI and has said he supports the bill.The measure mandates safety testing for many of the most advanced AI models that cost more than $100 million to develop or those that require a defined amount of computing power. Developers of AI software operating in the state also need to outline methods for turning off the AI models if they go awry, effectively a kill switch.The bill also gives the state attorney general the power to sue if developers are not compliant, particularly in the event of an ongoing threat, such as the AI taking over government systems like the power grid.As well, the bill requires developers to hire third-party auditors to assess their safety practices and provide additional protections to whistleblowers speaking out against AI abuses.
A whole host of regulations related to AI are on the docket, including those preventing deep fakes and those focused on performers whose images are used in AI-generated video productions. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has until the end of the month to sign them.
The Democratic governor has until Sept. 30 to sign the proposals, veto them or let them become law without his signature. Newsom signaled in July he will sign a proposal to crack down on election deepfakes but has not weighed in other legislation.He warned earlier this summer that overregulation could hurt the homegrown industry. In recent years, he often has cited the state’s budget troubles when rejecting legislation that he would otherwise support.Here is a look at some of the AI bills lawmakers approved this year.Citing concerns over how AI tools are increasingly being used to trick voters and generate deepfake pornography of minors, California lawmakers approved several bills this week to crack down on the practice.Lawmakers approved legislation to ban deepfakes related to elections and require large social media platforms to remove the deceptive material 120 days before Election Day and 60 days thereafter. Campaigns also would be required to publicly disclose if they’re running ads with materials altered by AI.
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