California Governor Vetoes AI Safety Bill #

California’s governor has vetoed a controversial artificial intelligence safety bill, citing concerns that it could drive AI companies from the state and hinder innovation. The decision comes after significant objections from the tech industry.

The governor stated that he has requested leading experts on Generative AI to assist in developing workable guardrails for California, focusing on an empirical, science-based trajectory analysis. Additionally, he ordered state agencies to expand their assessment of risks from potential catastrophic events tied to AI use.

Generative AI, which can create text, photos, and videos in response to open-ended prompts, has sparked both excitement and fears. Concerns include the potential for job obsolescence, election disruption, and the possibility of AI overpowering humans with catastrophic effects.

The bill’s author, a Democratic State Senator, argued that legislation was necessary to protect the public before AI advances become unwieldy or uncontrollable. However, the AI industry in California raised questions about the future of these companies in the state if the bill became law.

The governor emphasized the need for action to protect the public but disagreed with settling for a solution not informed by empirical trajectory analysis of AI systems and capabilities. He committed to working with the legislature on AI legislation during its next session.

This decision comes as legislation in Congress to set AI safeguards has stalled, while the federal administration is advancing regulatory AI oversight proposals. The governor suggested that a California-only approach may be warranted, especially in the absence of federal action.

The vetoed bill would have mandated safety testing for advanced AI models costing over $100 million to develop or requiring a defined amount of computing power. It would have also required AI software developers in the state to outline methods for turning off AI models, effectively creating a kill switch.

The proposal faced strong opposition from various groups, including major tech companies developing generative AI models. Some members of Congress also opposed it, while proponents included the CEO of a prominent electric vehicle and AI company.

Separately, the governor signed legislation requiring the state to assess potential threats posed by Generative AI to California’s critical infrastructure. The state is analyzing energy infrastructure risks and plans to undertake similar risk assessments for water and communications sectors in the future.