Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has thrown his weight behind California’s proposed AI safety bill, SB 1047. Musk, who co-founded OpenAI in 2015 and left the company in 2018 before starting his own AI venture, xAI, expressed his support for the bill on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
Musk’s endorsement comes at a time of intense debate surrounding the bill. OpenAI, the creator of the popular chatbot ChatGPT, has voiced its opposition to the bill, arguing that AI regulation should be managed at the federal level. The company fears that the bill could create a complex and uncertain legal landscape for AI development.
Two former OpenAI employees have also expressed their concerns about the bill, warning that it could lead to “catastrophic harm to society” if AI models are developed without adequate safety precautions. They argue that the bill’s requirements for safety testing for advanced AI models are crucial to mitigate potential risks.
Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has also criticized the bill, calling it “well-intentioned but ill-informed.” She has raised concerns about the potential impact of the bill on her own tech investments.
SB 1047, introduced by Senator Scott Wiener, requires safety testing for AI models that cost over $100 million to develop or demand significant computing power. The bill aims to ensure that advanced AI systems are developed and deployed with proper safety considerations.
Musk’s support for the bill highlights the growing concerns about the potential risks and ethical implications of AI. His advocacy for AI regulation, which he has championed for over two decades, suggests that the industry needs robust safety measures to prevent potential harm from powerful AI technologies.
