Californians want controls on AI. Why did Gavin Newsom veto an AI safety bill? Garrison Lovely

California governor Gavin Newsom recently killed SB1047, a first-of-its-kind artificial intelligence safety bill, arguing that its focus on only the largest AI models leaves out smaller ones that can also be risky. Instead, he says, we should pass comprehensive regulations on the technology. Despite claims by prominent opponents of the bill that "literally no one wants this," SB1047 was popular – really popular. It passed the California legislature with an average of two-thirds of each chamber voting in favor. Six statewide polls that presented pro and con arguments for the bill show strong majorities in support, which rose over time.