Elon Musk Endorses California’s AI Regulation Bill

"I understand that the bill is controversial," Musk said in a statement on the X social media platform. "[B]ut, on balance, California should approve SB 1047." He andare long-standing supporters of AI being subject to regulation, calling it similar to the level of scrutiny endured by other technologies presenting public risks.

Elon Musk, the head of Tesla and SpaceX, on Tuesday publicly supported a new California bill aimed at controlling artificial intelligence. That is what is known as the "SB 1047 AI Safety Bill," in that it looks to protect humanity in making sure that no large-scale AI systems are used in a manner that will cause significant harm.

"I understand that the bill is controversial," Musk said in a statement on the X social media platform. "[B]ut, on balance, California should approve SB 1047." He andare long-standing supporters of AI being subject to regulation, calling it similar to the level of scrutiny endured by other technologies presenting public risks.

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Despite professing that he is to relocate his company out of California, the new AI company of Elon Musk, xAI, all the same would be caught by the new regulations on the condition that they become law. Among the safety features is an "emergency stop" system that the company said would be designed to shut down AI models should they be used for improper purposes.

On the other hand, OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has come out in opposition to the bill. In a letter to California state Senator Scott Wiener and Governor Gavin Newsom, OpenAI contended that the legislation would choke off innovation and encourage top engineering and entrepreneurial talent to leave California for friendlier climates. They maintained that federal action on AI regulation would more effectively balance innovation with public safety concerns.

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In rebuttal to OpenAI's criticism, Senator Wiener argued that testing conducted to sufficiently avert potential catastrophic risks is, as a matter of fact, in the best interest of national security. He also dismissed the claim that the bill would chase companies away from California since the bill applies to any company doing business in the state-not just firms domiciled there. Wiener compared current objections to the grinching that occurred about California's data privacy laws, which never actually materialized.

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