California’s contentious AI safety bill gets closer to becoming a law – Computerworld

She argued that SB 1047 “will harm our emerging AI ecosystem,” particularly affecting sectors that are already at a disadvantage compared to major tech companies, such as the public sector, academia, and smaller tech firms.

Even some AI researchers and developers who support the idea of regulation have criticized the bill. Andrew Ng, a prominent AI entrepreneur and former head of AI at Google, has called the bill “anti-open source” and “anti-innovation” in an X post arguing that it targets the broad development of AI technology rather than focusing on specific harmful applications.

Not only the tech leaders, but even Democrat lawmakers have also opposed the bill vehemently. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, representing San Francisco, has been particularly vocal in her opposition, labeling the bill as “well-intentioned but ill-informed.” She and Representatives Ro Khanna and Zoe Lofgren argue that the bill could harm California’s tech industry by imposing burdensome regulations that may deter AI development.