In the Media
Newsom’s Next Bold Move: Will He Lead on AI Safety with SB 1047 or Let Big Tech Decide?
09. 26. 2024
Newsom has a chance to cement his legacy as a forward-thinking leader on the national stage.
While California’s landmark AI safety bill, SB 1047, sits in limbo on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk, the country is watching to see if he will once again seize the opportunity to be a defining national leader on one of the preeminent issues of our time.
SB 1047 would put in place commonsense guardrails around AI development by requiring the largest new models to undergo risk testing and adopt precautions to mitigate those risks. Practically, developers would deploy these safeguards to protect the public and prevent catastrophes caused by their technology in the event of an extreme emergency, such as the development of a biological weapon or the failure of the power grid. It would mandate a low-bar approach to safety standards, far less than what a company would have to do if rolling out a new car or even a children’s toy. And to spur California’s production of cutting edge solutions, SB 1047 would create CalCompute, a public option for computing power needed for large-scale AI models. By enabling greater public access to computing power, California can ensure that academics and small start-ups, in addition to the largest tech monopolies, can pursue AI research and innovation and contribute to a flourishing, competitive AI sector.
Not surprisingly, this bill has faced fierce opposition from Silicon Valley titans with deep pockets and political connections who have long insisted, “trust us to self-regulate.” This small and vocal minority is marshaling its massive resources to oppose any oversight of the technology, including the most basic safety testing. Some opponents have even gone so far as to say that 1047 could undercut California’s ability to compete with China in the AI arms race. To the contrary, there is no evidence to suggest that light-touch rules for advancing AI and broadening access to computing power for new entrants would slow innovation. We compete with China in dozens of industries that adhere to various forms of regulation and we don’t throw worker safety or environmental standards for manufacturing out the door because China doesn’t play by the same rules. China has been made a convenient, all-purpose boogeyman to distract from the core concerns of models unleashed on society without accountability for harms they could inflict.
Other skeptics have argued that these risks are far-fetched, or too nebulous to address now. But everything is telling us otherwise; these risks are right around the corner. Last week’s release of the new ChatGPT version o1 was capable of clever deception during testing. The threat is real: developers and technologists working inside these very labs have come out to sound the alarm, as evidenced in a letter signed by over 120 members of the tech community calling for the governor to sign SB 1047.
Amidst this loud and growing debate stretching from Silicon Valley to Washington D.C., the central question remains, will Newsom challenge the tech industry’s long-standing opposition to accountability and lead the country into a new era of responsible technology and AI development? If history is any indicator, he just might.
These kinds of bold decisions have characterized Newsom’s career and could cement his legacy as a forward-thinking leader on the national stage. As a politician, Newsom has shown a remarkable ability to be ahead of the curve, bringing ideas from the margins into the mainstream, often in the face of significant opposition. Consider his bold stance on marriage equality in 2004, when as mayor of San Francisco, he began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. It was a risky move—public sentiment was not yet in favor—but it proved a watershed moment for the country in which dozens of leaders would follow in his footsteps.
Newsom has shown a knack for addressing emerging challenges—especially on behalf of vulnerable populations. From putting money into the pockets of working families with the Young Child Tax Credit, a now signature part of Vice President Harris’ presidential economic agenda, to leading on statewide gun control efforts in the face of federal inaction, to championing school safety measures to reduce bullying by restricting cell phones in schools, Newsom’s track record of bold governance has established California as a model for the nation, often years ahead of the national, and even global, conversation.
This could be the next front. AI technology is advancing at a breakneck pace, with implications for every aspect of our lives. From privacy concerns to election integrity and national security, the ramifications of unchecked AI development are profound and far-reaching. Congress, for its part, has spent the better part of a few decades avoiding any form of tech regulation. In the absence of federal action, it’s up to Newsom to take the lead. The lessons from the early days of social media—another area where Big Tech fought any notion of rules and regulation—loom large, reminding us that when left to their own devices, the biggest tech companies often prioritize growth and profit over the public good.
Finally the public is ready to turn the page on this approach. Voters want to see the government take action on AI safety with a recent survey revealing that 77% of California voters want companies to test powerful AI systems before deployment. Nationally, that number is even higher with 80% of voters across the country in support of Newsom signing 1047 into law. From Hollywood to Main Street, 1047 is being endorsed by over 100 organizations and companies including Notion, Latino Community Foundation, SEIU, SAG-AFTRA, parents and youth groups, academics, entrepreneurs, and a growing number of public figures from Sean Astin to Elon Musk to Piper Perabo to Rosie Perez to Adam Conover, to Mark Ruffalo, and more. The daily-expanding list of leaders join millions of Californians who are united in a call for their elected officials to do something about AI safety before the real harms occur.
Signing SB 1047 wouldn’t be without political risk: Newsom would be challenging a significant faction of powerful individuals who support the California Democrats and are used to getting their way. But it’s precisely this landscape that makes the moment so pivotal. Newsom can prioritize public safety over unchecked corporate interests, cement his leadership on the defining technology of our lifetime, and relish in California’s position at the vanguard of social progress.