California Enacts AI Safeguards

California has passed SB 53, a bill designed to regulate AI development within the state. The new law mandates that large AI labs, including industry leaders, must provide transparency regarding their safety protocols. SB 53 also ensures protection for whistleblowers working within these companies, encouraging the reporting of potential risks. The law establishes a mechanism for AI companies and the public to report critical safety incidents to California's Office of Emergency Services. It further directs the California Department of Technology to recommend annual updates to the law, based on technological advancements and international standards. SB 53 aims to strike a balance, fostering innovation while implementing safeguards for AI technology. The law will be rolled out in phases, beginning in January.

SB 53 requires frontier AI developers to publicly disclose their safety frameworks. The bill also establishes a public cloud compute cluster to foster democratised AI innovation. By promoting accountability and transparency, the law seeks to ensure responsible development and deployment of AI technologies.