California Senator Wiener Criticizes Governor Newsom's Veto of Artificial Intelligence Safety Bill

Senator Wiener Criticizes Governor Newsom's Veto of AI Safety BillPhoto byPossessed PhotographyonUnsplash

Sacramento, CA – Senator Scott Wiener expressed disappointment following Governor Gavin Newsom’s veto of SB 1047, a landmark bill aimed at regulating the risks associated with artificial intelligence (AI). The bill proposed safeguards to protect the public from AI misuse in cyberattacks, weapon development, and automated crime, as well as creating CalCompute, a public cloud cluster to support responsible AI development.

“This veto is a setback for those seeking oversight of powerful AI technologies,” said Senator Wiener. He emphasized that while AI companies have acknowledged the risks, relying on voluntary commitments isn't enough. Despite the Governor’s concerns, Wiener reaffirmed that the debate has advanced the issue of AI safety and vowed to continue pushing for regulation next year.

“California will continue to lead in this critical conversation,” Wiener concluded.