Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday vetoed what would have been the most comprehensive artificial intelligence regulatory bill.
A day before the 30-day deadline to take action or allow the bill to become law, Newsom rejected SB 1047, the Frontier Artificial Intelligence Models Act, citing the burdens it would place on AI companies and criticism that the bill’s scope was too broad.
“While well-intentioned, SB 1047 does not take into account whether an AI system is deployed in high-risk environments, involves critical decision-making or the use of sensitive data,” Newsom said in a statement. “Instead, the bill applies stringent standards to even the most basic functions — so long as a large system deploys it. I do not believe this is the best approach to protecting the public from real threats posed by the technology.”
The bill would have compelled AI companies to take safety measures to protect the public from cyberattacks, prevent AI from being used to develop weapons and to prevent automated crime.
The bill’s main author, Scott Wiener, said in a statement Sunday, “This veto is a setback for everyone who believes in oversight of massive corporations that are making critical decisions that affect the safety and welfare of the public and future of the planet.”
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