Anatomy of the opposition to AI regulation in California

California Legislature is considering SB1074 (2024 | CA) that establishes safety framework for AI. The bill requires safety tests for AI to reduce the risks of “catastrophic harm.” SB1074 defines “catastrophic harm” as cyberattacks that cause at least $500 million in damage or mass casualties. The bill also requires that AI can be shut down by humans. The opposition says the bill, “If it were to go into effect as written, it would have a chilling effect on innovation in California.” The bill has passed the Senate and 2 House Committees. The bill’s supporters say the safety measures in the bill mirror safety-testing framework that OpenAI, Anthropic and other AI companies voluntarily adopted last year.

WSJ | AI Companies Fight to Stop California Safety Rules