Introduction
California lawmakers are weighing a bill that would regulate powerful artificial intelligence systems. The legislation aims to ensure AI systems are tested and equipped with safety measures to prevent potential misuse, such as disrupting the state’s electric grid or aiding in the creation of chemical weapons.
What Does the Bill Propose?
The bill, authored by Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener, seeks to establish reasonable safety standards to prevent catastrophic harms from extremely powerful AI models. These requirements would apply to systems costing more than $100 million in computing power to train. Currently, no AI models meet this threshold, but it is anticipated that such models will exist in the near future.
“This is not about smaller AI models,” Wiener said at a recent legislative hearing. “This is about incredibly large and powerful models that, as far as we know, do not exist today but will exist in the near future.”
Support and Opposition
The bill has garnered support from renowned AI researchers and aims to create a new state agency to oversee developers and establish best practices. However, it faces fierce opposition from tech giants like Meta and Google, who argue that the regulations should target those who misuse AI rather than the developers.
Rob Sherman, Meta’s vice president and deputy chief privacy officer, expressed concerns in a letter to lawmakers: “The bill will make the AI ecosystem less safe, jeopardize open-source models relied on by startups and small businesses, rely on standards that do not exist, and introduce regulatory fragmentation.”
Potential Impacts
Opponents also warn that the bill could drive companies out of California to avoid the regulations. The state’s Chamber of Commerce echoed these sentiments, suggesting that the requirements could discourage the development of large AI systems.
Why Now?
Proponents argue that California cannot afford to wait for federal guidance, citing lessons learned from the delayed regulation of social media companies. State lawmakers are also considering another measure to combat automation discrimination in job and rental applications.
Conclusion
As California positions itself as an early adopter and regulator of AI, the outcome of this bill could set a precedent for other states and potentially the federal government. The debate continues as lawmakers weigh the benefits and risks of regulating this rapidly evolving technology.
For more details, visit the full article on ABC News.
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