Elon Musk on Monday voiced his support for a proposed California bill that would regulate artificial intelligence in the state, as some leaders in politics and technology expressed their disapproval.
“This is a tough call and will make some people upset, but all things considered, I think California should probably pass the SB 1047 AI safety bill. For over 20 years, I have been an advocate for AI regulation, just as we regulate any product/technology that is a potential risk to the public,” Musk posted on X, formally Twitter.
SB 1047, formally known as the Secure Innovation for Frontier Artificial Intelligence Systems Act, would require developers of the largest and most powerful AI systems to test for safety before releasing those models to the public. Developers of AI models operating in California would also need to outline methods of how to turn off the AI models should they go awry.
The bill would also require companies to tell the state about its testing protocols and guardrails, and California’s attorney general could sue if the tech causes “critical harm.”
The proposed legislation would also require developers to hire third-party auditors to assess their safety practices and provide additional protection to whistleblowers speaking out against unethical practices.
Musk’s support of the bill comes as other lawmakers and tech leaders disapprove. A group of California Congressional Democrats who oppose the bill say the legislation is ill-informed, will cause more harm than good and will eventually drive developers away from the state.
The tech industry hasn’t responded better, with Meta and Google expressing concern over the proposed bill. In a letter to the bill’s author, Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), Google reiterated claims that the legislation would drive away developers and AI development in the state, Reuters reported.
Meta’s chief scientist, Yann LeCun, has been continuously outspoken about his disapproval of the bill on X.
Wiener believes that AI technology could benefit Californians and the economy with advancements in fields like medicine and climate science. Still, if left unregulated, the technology could severely threaten national security and public safety.
“I introduced SB 1047 to ensure California stays in the lead on AI innovation while also protecting the health and safety of our residents from potential catastrophic risks. Innovation and safety are not mutually exclusive, and I reject the false claim that in order to innovate, we must leave safety solely in the hands of technology companies and venture capitalists. While a large majority of people innovating in the AI space are highly ethical people who want to do right by society, we’ve also learned the hard way over the years that pure industry self-regulation doesn’t work out well for society,” Wiener said in a statement.
Even with its criticism, the bill continues to move through the legislature. If it passes both the House and Senate, Gov. Gavin Newsom has until Sept. 30 to veto or sign it into law.
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