California Passes AI Safety Bill That Divided Tech Leaders (1)

California’s legislature approved a controversial artificial intelligence safety bill that requires companies to make sure their technology doesn’t cause major harm.

The bill, SB 1047, has drawn both criticism and praise from a series of national figures. It now moves to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk after passing the state Assembly Wednesday, with the Senate granting final approval Thursday.

SB 1047 mandates that companies developing powerful AI models take “reasonable care” to ensure that their technologies don’t cause “severe harm” such as mass casualties or property damage above $500 million. The bill, which was introduced by State Senator Scott Wiener ...