CA Senate Approves McNerney’s Bill to Establish Safety Standards for Artificial Intelligence
The California Senate today approved SB 813, legislation by Sen. Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, that would establish groundbreaking safety standards for artificial intelligence and help ensure that AI is developed responsibly.
SB 813 would create independent panels of AI experts, academics, and government officials to devise strong yet workable safety standards. Once the panels have been affirmed by the newly established California Artificial Intelligence Standards and Safety Commission, they would then certify and monitor AI developers and vendors who voluntarily meet the standards.
“The California Senate today sent a clear message: It’s time for California to take the lead in establishing commonsense safety standards for artificial intelligence, since Washington, DC is unable or unwilling to do so,” said Sen. McNerney, who authored the landmark AI in Government Act while serving in Congress. “AI has tremendous potential to improve our lives, but without sufficient guardrails, it also poses significant risks. SB 813 will ensure the creation of strong, independent, and voluntary standards for the responsible development of AI.”
SB 813, the Voluntary AI Standards Act, won bipartisan approval in the Senate on a vote of 31-7. The bill now goes to the Assembly for consideration.
AI is advancing rapidly, but the technology also presents significant risks, including psychological harm to children, inherent bias, cyber fraud, election tampering, misinformation, deep fakes, fake news, and widespread job displacement.
AI systems also hallucinate. A recent large-scale study found that AI assistants misrepresent news content 45% of the time.
SB 813’s first-of-its-kind AI framework is based on standards models that have been successful in providing benefits for the public in other industries, from electrical and mechanical standards to LEED standards for green buildings.
SB 813 would create the California Artificial Intelligence Standards and Safety Commission, which in turn, would designate AI expert panels – Independent Verification Organizations (IVOs), that act as standards bodies.
The IVOs, which will be made up of AI industry experts, academics, and government officials, set the standards, based on the industry (such as health care, energy, or education), and then AI developers can seek voluntary certification from the IVO. Certification comes with continued monitoring and the ability of the IVO to revoke certification at any time. Similarly, the commission can revoke approval of an IVO at any time.
“SB813 is the next step in establishing guardrails for AI that are effective and responsive,” Sen. McNerney added. “If Washington, DC preempts state laws regulating AI, then standards will be the only tool that can help ensure AI is safe and beneficial.”
Sen. Jerry McNerney is chair of the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee and his 5th Senate District includes all of San Joaquin County and Alameda County’s Tri-Valley.
