SAG-AFTRA and Women’s Groups Rally for AI Safety Bill Approval

SAG-AFTRA, the National Organization for Women (NOW), and Fund Her are urging California Governor Gavin Newsom to sign SB 1047, a crucial AI safety bill. These organizations emphasize the potentially catastrophic harm AI could cause if left unregulated, highlighting issues such as cyberattacks and bioweapon development.

SAG-AFTRA, representing 160,000 performers, including stars like Scarlett Johansson and Tom Hanks, posted a call for support, stressing that AI regulation is vital to protect their members' livelihoods from nonconsensual digital replicas and deepfake pornography. NOW's support is driven by concerns that unregulated AI could disproportionately impact vulnerable groups, especially women.

Authored by State Senator Scott Wiener, SB 1047 seeks to establish civil liability for developers of advanced AI like ChatGPT if they cause disasters without appropriate safeguards. It also includes whistleblower protections, gaining support from notable AI whistleblowers like Daniel Kokotajlo and William Saunders. The bill has passed both houses of California's state legislature and awaits Newsom's decision by September 30th.

This bill has garnered exceptional national attention, disrupting traditional partisan alignments. High-profile endorsements include Elon Musk and social justice groups, while influential figures like Nancy Pelosi and Ro Khanna, as well as venture capitalists Marc Andreessen and AI scientist Fei-Fei Li, oppose it. This unusual array of supporters and detractors underscores the complexity and high stakes of the AI regulatory debate.

Supporters argue that California's pioneering stance on AI regulation, much like its historical impact with auto emissions laws, will set a global precedent. Dan Hendrycks, director of the Center for AI Safety, likens Newsom's potential signing of SB 1047 to former Governor Pat Brown's landmark environmental legislation, coined as the 'California Effect.'

Conversely, major tech companies such as Google, Meta, and OpenAI, alongside prominent investors like Y Combinator and Andreessen Horowitz, fiercely oppose the bill. They argue that stringent regulations could lead to an exodus of AI talent from California, ceded leadership to countries like China, and detrimental effects on the open-source community.

Despite industry resistance, advocates like Dario Amodei, CEO of AI company Anthropic, view threats to relocate as theatrics. Anthropic, a surprising supporter after amendments addressed their concerns, maintains the benefits of SB 1047 outweigh potential costs. With key federal leaders against substantial AI regulation, California may pioneer independent AI governance, echoing its actions on net neutrality and data privacy.

Given his history of making thoughtful decisions, Governor Newsom's stance on SB 1047 could significantly influence AI governance both within the state and globally. As the September 30th deadline looms, the anticipation surrounding Newsom's decision highlights the critical juncture at which AI regulation stands.