SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California Governor Gavin Newsom on Sunday vetoed a bill aimed at preventing large AI systems from causing catastrophic harms, saying the legislation would have created a “false sense of security.”
The bill, AB 2096, was authored by Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) and would have required companies to conduct risk assessments and mitigation plans before deploying AI systems that could cause significant harm to people or the environment.
In his veto message, Newsom said that he supports the intent of the bill, but that it was too narrowly tailored to address the risks posed by AI.
“This bill would have created a false sense of security by focusing only on the largest harms caused by the largest AI models,” Newsom wrote. “It would have failed to keep up with the pace of technology and would have harmed innovation in California.”
Newsom also said that the bill would have created a duplicative regulatory framework, as the federal government is already working on regulations for AI.
“I am committed to working with the Legislature to develop a comprehensive approach to regulating AI that protects consumers and businesses,” Newsom wrote.
Holden said he was disappointed by Newsom’s veto, but that he would continue to work on legislation to address the risks posed by AI.
“I believe that we need to take action now to prevent AI from causing catastrophic harms,” Holden said. “We cannot afford to wait for the federal government to act.”
The veto of AB 2096 is the latest setback for efforts to regulate AI in California. In 2021, Newsom vetoed a bill that would have created a state agency to oversee the development and use of AI.
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