California Governor Gavin Newsom has blocked a significant AI safety bill, saying it could slow down innovation and push AI companies to leave the state. The bill, which faced opposition from major tech firms like Google, Meta, and OpenAI, would have introduced some of the first rules for AI in the US, according to the BBC.
The bill aimed to regulate the most powerful AI systems by requiring them to go through safety tests and have a “kill switch” that could shut down any AI system if it became dangerous. It also wanted to put in place government oversight for the development of these advanced systems, known as “Frontier Models.” BBC explained that this would have been a major step in controlling how AI is used, but tech companies worried it would slow down progress.
Governor Newsom said the bill wasn’t well-balanced. According to the BBC, he argued that the regulations would apply to even basic AI functions and could harm AI development in California, which is home to many top tech companies. Instead, Newsom plans to work on other ways to protect people from the risks of AI and is asking experts for advice on creating safeguards. BBC reported that Newsom also signed several other laws recently, including bills to fight misinformation and stop fake AI-generated content, such as deep fakes.
Senator Scott Wiener, who wrote the bill, expressed his disappointment, saying that blocking the bill means AI companies can keep developing powerful technology without government control. The BBC mentioned that Wiener criticized the lack of action from Congress, which has not yet agreed on how to regulate AI.
Many in the tech industry believe that restricting AI development at this stage is too early. Wei Sun, a tech expert, told the BBC that AI is still in its early stages, so regulating the technology itself might not be the best approach. Instead, she suggested that focusing on specific uses of AI that could cause harm in the future would be more helpful.
BBC noted that the decision to block this bill is a major event, especially since California is a hub for global AI development.
Any laws passed in the state could have a huge impact on the industry, both nationally and worldwide.
Credit : BBC
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj9jwyr3kgeo