Elon Musk voices support for sweeping AI safety regulations

Musk said he was pro-AI regulation “just as we regulate any product/technology that is a potential risk to the public.”

Billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has voiced his support for legislation that some worry could stifle artificial intelligence innovation in the United States.

In a post on his social media platform X on Aug. 27, Musk said it was “a tough call” that would “make some people upset,” but all things considered:

“I think California should probably pass the SB 1047 AI safety bill.” 

Musk added that he has advocated for AI regulation for over 20 years, “just as we regulate any product/technology that is a potential risk to the public.”

Democratic legislators proposed California’s “Safe and Secure Innovation for Frontier Artificial Intelligence Models Act,” also known as SB 1047 in February.

It would require AI developers to implement safety protocols to prevent events such as mass casualties or major cyberattacks while mandating an “emergency stop” button for AI models. 

Many in Silicon Valley have voiced opposition to the new proposed legislation. 

The leader of Big Tech’s ‘e/acc’ movement, founder of stealth AI startup Extropic, and former Google engineer, Guillaume Verdon, responded that AI’s can be powerful “but [an] authoritarian government with shadow control over powerful AI’s is scarier,” before adding: 

“[It] sets an awful precedent at a national level and will open up the door for govt lawfare against companies that don’t offer govt LLM backdoors.”

On Aug. 21, OpenAI chief strategy officer Jason Kwon warned that the bill could stifle innovation and drive talent out of California.

The bill has also faced opposition from Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, ranking member of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, Zoe Lofgren, Silicon Valley Representative Ro Khanna, and VC and Big Tech giants Andreessen Horowitz and Meta. 

Verdon compared the situation to the recent arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov, and the implications for free speech and decentralization, saying it’s “like the Telegram situation but for AI.”

Related: California AI bill aimed at preventing disasters draws ire from Silicon Valley

Meanwhile, AI safety advocates have defended against the criticism.

California State Senator Scott Wiener, who co-created the bill, publicly criticized OpenAI’s objections to it, arguing that it was essential for safeguarding both public safety and national security.

Meanwhile, the Director of the Center for AI Safety, Dan Hendrycks, voiced support for Musk exclaiming “You’re the best, Elon!” before providing a rundown of what the controversial SB 1047 Senate bill entails. 

Additional requirements of the bill include annual third-party audits of AI safety practices and the creation of a new Frontier Model Division (FMD) to oversee compliance. 

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