State Capitol Aerial view of California Capitol. (Photo by: Visions of America/Joe Sohm/Universal ... [ ] Images Group via Getty Images)
With just days left to make a decision, California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) opted to veto a bill passed by the state legislature that would have created one of the most comprehensive regulatory frameworks for artificial intelligence in the United States. Newsom previously refrained from saying what he would do but hinted he had some concerns about the legislation, noting he worried it could “have a chilling effect on the industry.” In a statement accompanying the veto, Newsom described the bill as “well-intentioned” but made a mistake by applying “stringent standards to even the most basic functions.”
If the California bill were signed into law, it would be predominantly focused on improving AI safety. Businesses that create large AI models would have been required to perform safety tests and publicly disclose the safety protocols that prevent the models from being manipulated for negative use. These trials would have........