TLDR:
– California Senator Steve Padilla has introduced two bills, SB 892 and SB 893, aimed at regulating AI systems used by state agencies.
– SB 892 requires the development of safety, privacy, and non-discrimination standards for AI services, and prohibits the state from contracting with AI providers that do not meet these standards.
– SB 893 establishes a California AI research hub to provide access to compute resources and data for academics.
California Senator Steve Padilla has introduced two bills that seek to regulate the use of AI systems by state agencies. The first bill, SB 892, will require California’s Department of Technology to develop safety, privacy, and non-discrimination standards for services that use AI. It also prohibits the state from contracting with any AI providers that do not meet these established standards. The second bill, SB 893, aims to create a California AI research hub that would provide academics with access to compute resources and data.
These bills follow an earlier one introduced by California Senator Scott Wiener, which proposed transparency standards for “frontier” AI models, security measures, and the establishment of a state AI research center. While federal policymakers have also proposed legislation regulating AI, no major federal regulations specifically addressing AI safety have passed yet. Several state lawmakers, therefore, have taken it upon themselves to file state-level legislation.
Other states, such as Texas, West Virginia, North Dakota, Louisiana, and Puerto Rico, have also taken steps to regulate AI by ordering the monitoring or study of AI systems used by state agencies. Connecticut has decided to review all AI services it uses and plans to regularly review these systems as well.
California already has a strong presence of AI-focused companies and investors. The state has enacted other laws targeting the tech sector, such as online safety rules for kids and a right-to-repair act. The introduction of these bills further demonstrates California’s commitment to overseeing the ethical and safe use of AI.
Overall, the introduction of these bills by California senator Steve Padilla signals an effort to establish clear guidelines and regulations around the use of AI by state agencies. It shows a growing recognition of the importance of AI ethics and safety, and a commitment to ensuring that AI technologies benefit society while minimizing potential harms.