Big Tech scores big victory in California by vetoing AI bill

• California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed artificial intelligence security legislation on Sunday.

• The bill aimed to create safeguards for companies spending $100 million on artificial intelligence training.

• Newsom expressed concerns about innovation being stifled by California’s dominance of AI development.

California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoes artificial intelligence security bill Sunday is a win for AI heavyweights like OpenAI and Big Tech companies that lobbied against it.

The bill, SB 1047, was introduced by Senator Scott Weiner earlier this year and Passed the California State Assembly last month. The bill sought to force companies that spend $100 million or more to train AI models to develop security measures so their technology cannot be used to harm society; The bill notes that this is a loose definition that could include creating dangerous weapons or carrying out cyberattacks.

“This veto is a failure for anyone who believes in the oversight of big corporations,” Senator Wiener said in a statement Sunday.

About two weeks ago, Newsom said he was concerned about the bill’s implementation. potential “freezing effect” About artificial intelligence development. He said he doesn’t want California to lose its grip on the artificial intelligence field.

“The bill imposes stringent standards on even the most basic functions as long as a large system enforces it,” the governor said Sunday. he said. “I do not believe this is the best approach to protecting the public from the real threats posed by technology.”

The now-defunct bill would also require companies operating in California to: report any security incidents It originates from AI products to the government. This would protect the company’s whistleblowers and allow third parties to test the models for security. The bill said that, if necessary, developers should be able to: enact a full lockdown from AI tools.

Debate in California reflects challenges facing governments walking a fine line between protecting against new potential risks while allowing technology companies to innovate. Newsom may also want to signal that the state is open for business after a series of measures. High-profile company exits including Chevron, Tesla, Oracle, Charles Schwab and CBRE.

In a statement announcing the veto, Newsom’s office also noted: Governor signs 17 bills This past month has been all about generative AI, fighting against deepfakes and misinformation and aiming to protect children and workers.

Relief for competitors

Newsom’s veto will come as a relief to many in Silicon Valley who have criticized the bill, saying it would harm innovation.

Rob Sherman, Meta’s vice president of policy, praised Newsom for rejecting the bill. One x post He said Sunday that the bill “will harm business growth and job creation and break the state’s long tradition of encouraging open source development.”

Marc Andreessen, general partner at Venture Capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, also applauded Newsom’s decision. One expression On

Jason Kwon, OpenAI’s chief strategy officerIn a letter to Senator Wiener in August, he warned that the bill could hinder progress and drive companies out of California.

ChatGPT maker has joined tech giant Meta to lobby against the bill. Meta said the bill could deter the open source movement by exposing developers to significant legal liability.

Andreessen Horowitz also addressed similar innovation concerns and Paid for a petition against the bill.

Of course, not all of Big Tech opposed the bill.

Elon Musk, who founded AI company xAI last year, said last month: “It’s a tough decision and it’s going to upset some people.” He thought “California should probably pass the SB 1047 AI safety bill.”

Antropik CEO Dario Amodei, switch sides in the middle of the debate. He said in August that the bill’s “benefits probably outweigh the costs.” However, he added, “we’re not sure about that, and there are still some aspects of the bill that seem concerning or unclear to us.”

A lot former OpenAI employees He also supported the security bill and said OpenAI’s opposition to the bill was disappointing.

“We joined OpenAI because we wanted to ensure the security of the incredibly powerful AI systems the company was developing,” former OpenAI researchers William Saunders and Daniel Kokotajlo wrote in the letter. “But we resigned from OpenAI because we lost confidence that it would develop AI systems safely, honestly and responsibly.”

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