California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed multiple artificial intelligence safety bills and vetoed one of the more controversial ones Monday, as lawmakers\u2019 attempts to protect children from AI met with strong opposition from the tech industry. <\/p>\n
One of the key bills signed, Senate Bill 243, requires chatbot operators to have procedures to prevent the production of suicide or self-harm content and put in guardrails, such as referring users to a suicide hotline or crisis text line.<\/p>\n
The bill is among several that Newsom signed Monday that would affect technology companies. Some of the other legislation he signed tackled issues such as age verification, social media warning labels and the spread of AI nonconsensual sexually explicit content. <\/p>\n
Under SB 243, operators would be required to notify minor users at least every three hours to take a break, and that the chatbot is not human. They would also be required to implement \u201creasonable measures\u201d to prevent companion chatbots from generating sexually explicit content.<\/p>\n
\u201cEmerging technology like chatbots and social media can inspire, educate, and connect \u2014 but without real guardrails, technology can also exploit, mislead, and endanger our kids,\u201d Newsom said in a statement.<\/p>\n
The bill\u2019s signing shows how Newsom is trying to balance child safety concerns and California\u2019s leadership in artificial intelligence. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe can continue to lead in AI and technology, but we must do it responsibly \u2014 protecting our children every step of the way,\u201d Newsom said. <\/p>\n
Some tech industry groups such as TechNet still opposed SB 243, and child safety groups such as Common Sense Media and Tech Oversight California also withdrew their support for the bill because of \u201cindustry-friendly exemptions.\u201d Changes to the bill limited who receives certain notifications and included exemptions for certain chatbots in video games and virtual assistants used in smart speakers.<\/p>\n
Tech lobbying group TechNet, whose members include OpenAI, Meta, Google and others, and other trade groups said the definition of a companion chatbot is too broad, according to an analysis of the legislation. The group also told lawmakers that allowing people to take legal action for violations of the new law would be an \u201coverly punitive method of enforcement.\u201d<\/p>\n
Newsom later announced that he had vetoed a more contentious AI safety bill, Assembly Bill 1064. <\/p>\n
That legislation would bar businesses and other entities from making companion chatbots available to California minors unless the chatbot isn\u2019t \u201cforeseeably capable\u201d of harmful conduct such as encouraging a child to engage in self-harm, violence or disordered eating. <\/p>\n
In his veto message, Newsom said even though he agreed with the bill\u2019s goal it might unintentionally result in the ban of AI tools used by minors. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe cannot prepare our youth for a future where AI is ubiquitous by preventing their use of these tools altogether,\u201d he wrote in the message.<\/p>\n
Child safety groups and California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta had urged the governor to sign AB 1064. <\/p>\n
Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that sponsored AB 1064 and recommends that minors shouldn\u2019t use AI companions, said the veto was \u201cdisappointing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is genuinely sad that the big tech companies fought this legislation, which actually is in the best interest of their industry long-term,\u201d said Common Sense Media founder Jim Steyer in a statement.<\/p>\n
Facebook\u2019s parent company, Meta, opposes the legislation and the Computer and Communications Industry Assn. lobbied against the bill, saying it would threaten innovation and disadvantage California companies. <\/p>\n
California is the global leader in artificial intelligence, home to 32 of the 50 top AI companies<\/a> worldwide. <\/p>\n The popularity of the technology that can answer questions and quickly generate text, code, images and even music has skyrocketed in the last three years. As it advances, it is disrupting the way people consume information, work and learn. <\/p>\n Suicide prevention and crisis counseling resources<\/p>\n