California AI bill passes State Assembly, pushing AI fight to Newsom

The California State Assembly passed a bill on August 28 that would enact the nation’s strictest regulations on artificial intelligence companies, pushing the fierce fight over how to regulate AI toward Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk. The proposed law would require companies working on AI to test their technology before selling it for “catastrophic” risks such as the ability to instruct users in how to conduct cyberattacks or build biological weapons. Under the proposed law, if companies fail to conduct the tests and their tech is used to harm people, they could be sued by California’s attorney general. The bill only applies to companies training large and expensive AI models. The bill, which passed with a vote of 41-9, will now return to the state Senate, where it was first introduced, and is expected to quickly pass on to Newsom (D). That would put the high-profile governor in a position to enact or veto sweeping and contentious tech regulation at a time when prospects for Congress passing federal AI legislation dim as lawmakers focus on the presidential election.