Sen. Scott Wiener. Photo by Ellie Appleby, Capitol WeeklyNobody can ever accuse Sen. Scott Wiener of only taking on the easy fights. The San Francisco Democrat has in fact developed a reputation as someone almost allergic to tackling any bill – from housing to health care, from psychedelics to artificial intelligence – that doesn’t promise a bare-knuckles brawl to get passed.
Image by peterschreiber.media.OPINION – As the California Assembly considers AB305, bipartisan legislation that could rewrite California’s energy future, the stakes could not be higher. The bill would exempt small modular reactors (SMRs) from the state’s nuclear moratorium in an attempt to end California’s reliance on fossil gas and carve out a new path for an abundant, carbon-free energy future.
Image by Arseniy45. OPINION – There is a quiet but seismic shift underway right now in the global artificial intelligence (AI) race. California, as America’s innovation powerhouse, cannot afford to ignore it.
Image by Dragon ClawsOPINION – As a former corporate employee and now a minority business owner, I have worked tirelessly to reduce workplace bias and discrimination. With my new company, I’m successfully using artificial intelligence to help solve these vexing problems, so I was surprised and disappointed when I recently reviewed well-intended, but terribly misguided, AI bias legislation
Image by Alexander SikovOPINION – In May of this year, Governor Newsom warned, “If we over-regulate, if we overindulge, if we chase the shiny object, we could put ourselves in a perilous position.” Sadly, Senator Scott Wiener’s SB 1047 bill falls into the trap Governor Newsom warned about.
Image by wildpixelOPINION – During the 2023-2024 legislative sessions, lawmakers have proposed over 5,500 new laws, many of which will have significant impact on the state economy. Senate Bill 1047 addresses artificial intelligence, and while it may be presented as erecting guardrails around technical challenges, it actually risks harming innovators of all sizes.
Image by PopTikaOPINION – State boards and commissions play an important role in state government, allowing appointed Californians to bring their expertise and personal experience to government. But those appointed positions were never designed to replace the role of state officials who are elected by their constituents to represent the unique needs of their communities.
Image by Jirsak via ShutterstockThe impact of the AI transformation has understandably drawn calls for robust regulation of the use of AI, but to date there is little to no government oversight on the development and deployment of automated decision tools.
Image by Gorodenkoff via ShutterstockIt’s clear we need to take action now to equip all California students with the knowledge and experience to compete in the workforce of the future.
Photo by 3rdtimeluckystudio via ShutterstockDespite the stakes readily apparent to virtually everyone working in AI, the technology is largely unregulated in the United States. And, no surprise, California legislators have been quick to jump into the void.