Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg delivers a speech, as the letters AI for artificial intelligence appear on screen, at the Meta Connect event at the company's headquarters in Menlo Park, on Sept. 27, 2023. Photo by Carlos Barria, Reutersa commentary forum aiming to broaden our understanding of the state and spotlight Californians directly impacted by policy or its absence.
Critics, particularly from Silicon Valley, argue that any regulation will drive innovation out of California. This argument is not just misleading — it’s dangerous. The bill only applies to companies spending hundreds of millions on the most advanced AI models. For most startups and researchers, it’s business as usual. They will feel no impact from this bill.
The public overwhelmingly supports policies like SB 1047 — it is just the loud voices of Big Tech attempting to drown out the opinions of most Californians.. I reject that completely. I’m a digital native that sees AI’s immense potential to solve global challenges. I am deeply optimistic about the future of technology. But I also understand the need for guardrails.