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Senator Wiener: Bipartisan Vote, Senate Passes Landmark AI Safety Bill
governmentsd11.senate.ca.gov·sd11.senate.ca.gov/news/bipartisan-vote-senate-passes-sen...
SB 1047 was a landmark but controversial California AI safety bill in 2024; it was ultimately vetoed by Governor Newsom, but the legislative debate significantly shaped discussions around frontier AI regulation at the state level.
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Summary
The California Senate passed SB 1047, Senator Scott Wiener's landmark AI safety bill, with bipartisan support. The bill establishes safety requirements for developers of large frontier AI models, including mandatory safety testing, incident reporting, and kill-switch capabilities. It represents one of the most significant state-level legislative efforts to regulate advanced AI systems in the United States.
Key Points
- •SB 1047 passed the California Senate with bipartisan support, marking a major milestone in state-level AI governance.
- •The bill targets developers of large frontier AI models, imposing obligations around safety testing and risk assessment before deployment.
- •Key provisions include requirements for kill-switch mechanisms, whistleblower protections, and incident reporting to state authorities.
- •The legislation sparked significant debate between AI safety advocates and industry groups concerned about innovation impacts.
- •California's outsized role in the AI industry makes this bill potentially influential beyond state borders, affecting major AI labs.
Cited by 1 page
| Page | Type | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| Safe and Secure Innovation for Frontier Artificial Intelligence Models Act | Policy | 66.0 |
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In a Bipartisan Vote, Senate Passes Senator Wiener’s Landmark AI Safety and Innovation Bill | Senator Scott Wiener
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Press Release
In a Bipartisan Vote, Senate Passes Senator Wiener’s Landmark AI Safety and Innovation Bill
May 21, 2024
SACRAMENTO – The Senate passed SB 1047 by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), which aims to ensure the safe development of large-scale artificial intelligence systems by establishing clear, predictable, common-sense safety standards for developers of the largest and most powerful AI systems. The bill passed 32-1 with bipartisan support and now heads to the Assembly, where it must pass by August 31.
“As AI technology continues its rapid improvement, it has the potential to provide massive benefits to humanity. We can support that innovation without compromising safety, and SB 1047 aims to do just that,” said Senator Wiener . “By focusing its requirements on the well-resourced developers of the largest and most powerful frontier models, SB 1047 puts sensible guardrails in place against risk while leaving startups free to innovate without any new burdens. We know this bill is a work in progress, and we’re actively meeting with stakeholders and seeking constructive input. We’ll continue working to improve this legislation in the Assembly, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to support responsible AI development in California.”
Experts at the forefront of AI have expressed concern that failure to take appropriate precautions could have severe consequences , including risks to critical infrastructure, cyberattacks, and the creation of novel biological weapons. A recent survey found 70% of AI researchers believe safety should be prioritized in AI research more while 73% expressed “substantial” or “extreme” concern AI would fall into the hands of dangerous groups.
SB 1047 is supported by two of the most cited AI researchers of all time: the “Godfathers of AI,” Geoffrey Hinton and Yoshua Bengio. Of SB 1047, Professor Hinton said, “Forty years ago when I was training the first version of the AI algorithms behind tools like ChatGPT, no one - including myself - would have predicted how far AI would progress. Powerful AI systems bring incredible promise, but the risks are also very real and should be taken extremely seriously.
“SB 1047 takes a very sensible approach to balance those concerns. I am still passionate about the potential for AI to save lives through improvements in science and medicine, but it’s critical that we have legislation with real teeth to address the risks. California is a natural place for that to start, as it is the place this technology has taken off.”
In line with President Biden’s Executive
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