California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) on Sunday vetoed a bill that would create the nation's first safeguards for large artificial intelligence models.
They say the governor's veto is a major setback to efforts to build guardrails around AI and its rapid evolution with little oversight. Associated Press. The bill faced staunch opposition from startups, big tech companies and several Democratic lawmakers.
Earlier this month, Newsom said at DreamForce, an annual conference hosted by software giant Salesforce, that California needs to take the lead in regulating AI because the federal government has not put in place safeguards. “It could have a chilling effect on the industry,” he said. . ”
The governor said SB1047 could negatively impact domestic industry by setting strict requirements.
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California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill that would create safeguards for large artificial intelligence models in the Golden State. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
“SB 1047, while well-intentioned, fails to consider whether AI systems are deployed in high-risk environments, involve critical decision-making, or involve the use of sensitive data,” Newsom said. he said in a statement. “Instead, this bill applies strict standards to even the most basic functions of large systems as long as they are deployed. This is the best approach to protect the public from the real threats posed by technology. I don't think so.
Instead, Newsom announced that the state will partner with multiple industry experts to develop strong AI-modeled safeguards.
SB 1047 would have required companies to test their models and publish safety protocols to prevent them from being manipulated for harmful purposes, such as sabotaging the state's power grid or helping make chemical weapons. Experts describe the scenario. This may become possible in the future as the industry continues to rapidly evolve.
The bill would also have provided whistleblower protections for industry workers.
Democratic state Sen. Scott Weiner, who authored the bill, said the veto was a result of “trust in the oversight of large corporations that make important decisions that affect the safety and well-being of the public and the future of our planet.” It's a setback for everyone there.” ”
“Companies developing advanced AI systems recognize that the risks these models pose to the public are real and rapidly increasing,” he said in a statement. “Large AI research labs are doing admirable work to monitor and mitigate these risks, but the reality is that industry's voluntary efforts are unenforceable and the public's It rarely brings good results.”
Wiener said the debate surrounding the bill has helped shine a spotlight on the issue of AI safety, and he will continue to push for safety measures around this technology.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk also supported the bill.
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Rather than adopting legislation, Newsom announced that the state would partner with multiple industry experts to develop strong AI-modeled safeguards. (Don Campbell/Herald Palladium, via AP)
The proposal is one of several bills passed by state legislatures this year aimed at regulating AI, combating deepfakes and protecting workers. State lawmakers said California needs to take action this year, pointing to the consequences of failing to curb social media companies' opportunities they might have had.
Supporters of the bill call for some transparency and support for large-scale AI models, as developers and experts say they still don't fully understand how they work. He said it could have shown accountability.
The bill was aimed at addressing systems that require high levels of computing power and more than $100 million to build. Current AI models don't meet that standard, but some experts say that could change within the next year.
“This is due to a massive investment ramp-up within the industry,” former OpenAI researcher Daniel Cocotadillo, who resigned earlier this year over OpenAI's disregard for AI risks, told The Associated Press. “This is an incredible amount of power for a private company to control without accountability, and it is also incredibly dangerous.”
Supporters of the bill say the U.S. lags behind Europe in regulating growing technologies, raising concerns about job losses, misinformation, privacy violations and automation bias. Although California's bill was not as comprehensive as Europe's regulations, supporters say it was a step in the right direction.
Last year, several major AI companies voluntarily agreed to follow safeguards set by the White House, including testing models and sharing information. Supporters say California's bill would require AI developers to follow similar requirements to these safeguards.
But critics of the measure argued it would harm technology and stifle innovation in the Golden State. Critics, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), say the proposal would discourage AI developers from investing in large-scale models and sharing open source software. It is said to become.
Two other AI proposals also ran into opposition from the tech industry and failed to pass before last month's legislative deadline. The bill would require AI developers to label the content they generate and prohibit discrimination by AI tools used in hiring decisions.
California Sen. Scott Wiener said the debate around the bill helped shine a spotlight on AI safety issues. (Scott Wiener)
California lawmakers are still considering new rules against AI discrimination in hiring practices.
The governor has previously said he wants to protect the Golden State's status as a global leader in AI, noting that 32 of the world's top 50 AI companies are located in the Golden State.
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Newsom said California is an early adopter of AI, saying the state could use generative AI tools in the near future to tackle highway congestion, provide tax guidance and streamline homelessness efforts. .
Earlier this month, Newsom signed some of the nation's toughest legislation to combat election deepfakes and take steps to protect Hollywood employees from AI abuse.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
