Washington – California Gov. Newsom vetoed California’s controversial artificial intelligence bill that would have held developers responsible for the unforeseen uses of technology, rather than focusing on the actual bad actors. Earlier in the month, Newsom signed other key pieces of legislation including legislation (AB 2655, AB 2355, AB 2839) aimed at mitigating impacts of AI-generated, election-related deep fakes and SB 976 which seeks to restrict features available to younger users on social media absent parental consent. Gov. Newsom also vetoed AB 3048, citing concerns that major mobile operating systems would be unable to incorporate opt-out signal options required under the bill, which could jeopardize the usability of mobile devices.
The veto of SB 1047 comes amidst other executive action on several other AI bills centered on individual rights of publicity and digital replicas and responsibilities for labeling and take-down of election-related deepfakes.
The Computer & Communications Industry Association supports safe AI innovation including voluntary measures proposed by the White House and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). CCIA opposes SB 1047, and asked Gov. Newsom to veto it, because it holds developers responsible for the unforeseen uses of technology, rather than focusing on the actual bad actors.
The following statement is attributed to CCIA State Policy Director Khara Boender, who has testified this session on several California bills, including legislation addressing AI watermarking, provenance requirements, and standards.
“We agree with many others who have cited concerns with the legislation, such as potential stifling of the burgeoning artificial intelligence industry. We commend Gov. Newsom for vetoing this heavy-handed and misguided AI legislation that would have far-reaching effects, likely to impact the broader tech ecosystem, including startups. While we certainly agree that such technologies should be developed responsibly and ethically, this bill would not sufficiently provide such protections while still allowing innovation to thrive.”
“CCIA appreciates that Gov. Newsom vetoed AB 3048 — the proposed law would have undermined user choice and created uncertainty and challenging compliance questions for businesses operating in multiple jurisdictions”
“CCIA understands that certain heightened online protections may be appropriate for minors, and we are disappointed that Gov. Newsom signed SB 976. The law effectively mandates that online services only provide minors with chronological feeds, rather than the personalization which would help give younger users with more relevant and age-appropriate content.”
“While CCIA acknowledges the legitimate concerns raised by lawmakers and constituents regarding online election disinformation and misinformation, AB 2655 raises significant concerns regarding technical feasibility and constitutionality. The law risks over-labeling, over-blocking and potential suppression of political speech. We support Gov. Newsom’s executive action on AB 2355 which will ensure that covered committees provide clear disclosures for content generated or ‘substantially altered’ by AI. The approach employed under AB 2355 still allows for other beneficial uses of AI without imposing requirements that otherwise risk chilling online political speech.”
