California considers unique safety regulations for AI companies, but faces tech firm opposition

California lawmakers are weighing a bill that would regulate powerful artificial intelligence systems. It would require AI companies to test their systems and add safety measures so they can’t be potentially manipulated to wipe out the state’s electric grid or help build chemical weapons. The bill author says the proposal would prevent “catastrophic harms” from extremely powerful AI models that may be created in the future. But Meta and Google say the bill fundamentally misunderstands the industry and would hamper the state's growing AI market. The proposal would only apply to the largest systems that are still being developed.