In response to the rapid evolution of AI technology and the challenges to integration and safety, Governor Newsom has signed a number of bills targeted at safe use of AI and mitigation of identified risks. Newsom has enlisted the country's foremost thought leaders to “help lead California’s effort to develop responsible guardrails for the deployment of GenAI.” However, the governor also vetoed a number of AI regulatory bills. Notable vetoes include SB 1047, a bill that would have required testing of AI models to assess the probability that the model would lead to mass death or create vulnerabilities to attack on public infrastructure or severe cyberattacks.
Among the bills that were signed, it appears Newsom prioritized issues such as watermarking for AI generated content, criminalizing deepfakes, combating erroneous information generated by AI and other bills targeted at protecting children and employees. Check out the link for more information and a closer look at AI bills passed this cycle.