California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed a controversial artificial intelligence bill, SB 1047, arguing that it would hinder innovation and fail to protect the public from the "real" threats posed by this technology.
The bill, called the Frontier AI Model Safety Innovation Act, has been strongly opposed by Silicon Valley. It proposes mandatory safety testing of AI models and other guardrails, which tech companies worry will stifle innovation.
Newsom said in a statement on September 29 that "while well-intentioned," it could impose unnecessary restrictions on emerging artificial intelligence companies in California. The bill is too focused on regulating existing top AI companies and does not protect the public from the "real" threats posed by new technologies. "Instead, the bill applies strict standards to even the most basic functions - as long as large-scale systems deploy it. I do not think this is the best way to protect the public from the real threats posed by this technology." (Cointelegraph)