Sacramento, CA – Today, Governor Newsom vetoed SB 1047, landmark legislation that would have established safety standards for the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to safeguard the public from the risk of extreme harm. Teri Olle, Director of Economic Security California Action, a co-sponsor of the legislation, issued the following statement:

Governor Newsom’s veto of SB 1047 forfeits our country’s most promising opportunity to implement responsible guardrails around the development of AI today. The failure of this bill demonstrates the enduring power and influence of the deep pocketed tech industry, driven by the need to maintain the status quo – a hands-off regulatory environment and exponential profit margins. 

This legislation, supported by 80% of voters nationally, would have implemented safety measures for AI development that ensure this groundbreaking technology serves the interest of the public. We, the public, continue to find ourselves at the mercy of Big Tech, hoping for self-regulation and voluntary commitments, especially given federal legislators’ inability to make meaningful progress on policymaking to address the potential harms of AI.

This is a missed opportunity for California to lead where Congress is not: driving innovation by democratizing access to the technology, protecting Californians from harm, and positioning our state as a leader in addressing one of the most critical issues of our time.  Economic Security California Action remains committed to our vision of harnessing AI’s potential for the public good. We commend Senator Wiener for introducing this important bill and the hundreds of advocates that helped push this bill forward to the Governor’s desk.