California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed a groundbreaking bill aimed at establishing safety measures for large artificial intelligence models. The decision comes as a setback to efforts to regulate the rapidly evolving AI industry with little oversight. The bill would have set some of the first regulations on large-scale AI models in the nation, paving the way for AI safety regulations across the country.
The vetoed bill, SB 1047, faced opposition from startups, tech giants, and some Democratic House members. Governor Newsom expressed concerns that the bill did not consider the deployment context of AI systems and applied stringent standards even to basic functions. He emphasized the need for a more nuanced approach to protecting the public from potential threats posed by AI technology.
Instead of signing the bill, Governor Newsom announced a partnership with industry experts, including AI pioneer Fei-Fei Li, to develop guidelines around powerful AI models. The vetoed measure aimed to reduce risks associated with AI by requiring companies to test their models, disclose safety protocols, and provide whistleblower protections to workers.
The bill's author, Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener, called the veto a setback for oversight of corporations making critical decisions affecting public safety. Despite the setback, Wiener highlighted that the debate around the bill has advanced the issue of AI safety and pledged to continue advocating for regulation.
While the California proposal did not match the comprehensive regulations in Europe, supporters viewed it as a crucial first step in setting guardrails around AI technology. The bill targeted systems requiring over $100 million to build, a threshold experts believe could be reached in the near future due to industry investment scale-up.
Newsom's veto aligns with his goal to protect California's position as a global AI leader, emphasizing the state's potential in deploying AI tools for various public services. Despite the setback, the California safety proposal is expected to inspire lawmakers in other states to consider similar measures in upcoming legislative sessions.
