AI companies fight to stop California safety rules
California has become ground zero in the fight over artificial-intelligence regulation. Now AI startups and tech giants are rallying to kill a bill ascending through the state legislature.
The California bill, called SB 1047, requires that developers of large AI models conduct safety tests to reduce the risks of “catastrophic harm” from their technology, which it defines as cyberattacks that cause at least $500 million in damage or mass casualties. The developers also must ensure their AI can be shut down by a human if it starts behaving dangerously.
Scott Wiener, a Democratic state senator from San Francisco who drafted the bill, said he is engaging with the tech industry and is open to changes.
“There are people in the tech sector who are opposed to any and all forms of regulation no matter what it is, even for something reasonable and light-touch,” he said.