The AI industry is growing by leaps and bounds. It is now inspiring fear in some officials who seek to start regulating it due to various concerns. The officials most particular about AI censorship are lawmakers in Gavin Newsom’s party. However, he does not seem to agree with them and has even cautioned them to exercise restraint so they won’t overregulate the blooming industry. 

Newsom aims to preserve California’s technological edge. He believes overregulation will leave the state more vulnerable and worse off. 

Gavin Newsom shared his opinions about overregulation when he turned up at an AI event in San Francisco. It was more of a warning that implied that if overregulation happened, it would set California back, giving other states or countries a lead California should struggle to hold on to. He called it a difficult position to be in. 

When he was mayor of San Francisco and since he became Governor of California, Gavin Newsom has always supported technological advancements. He has made his state a haven for technocrats and believes that the tech industry should remain based in California. According to him, it is an excellent source of tax revenue and helps the state maintain its competitive and technological edge.

How Newsom feels about tech and his stance on regulation directly opposes how the members of his party feel. Democrats within state legislature have been working hard to pass bills targeting AI and the tech industry. They do this proactively to curb misinformation ahead of the general elections and to clamp down on what they see as “biased discriminatory algorithms.”

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An excellent example of how officials want AI to be censored is the AI bill introduced recently called the AI Accountability Act, or SB 896. It was introduced by Democrat State Senator Bill Dodd and gives government agencies the right to control how companies can develop automated technology.

While Newsom is undoubtedly a fan of the tech industry, he has mostly kept his thoughts regarding the AI bills to himself. Last week, he was out on the spot when someone asked him about his thoughts on the safety bill by State Senator Scott Wiener, who has expressed concern about how AI could be used for nefarious purposes like cyber attacks and the development of bioweapons.

AI bills have been coming up more frequently because more people are making progress in the industry. While some believe AI can greatly help humans, many are worried about the proliferation of the technology. They are well aware of the risks AI can come to pose and don’t think a free-market approach is the best way. Matt Boulos, head of policy and safety at Imbue, made a good point when he said if people take the risks of AI seriously, then everyone would support integrating incentives that can keep them from becoming a reality. 

While lawmakers are worried about what AI can do to undermine governance and jeopardize public safety, other groups clamoring against it are doing so for different reasons. One of those groups is made up of labor unions and average workers, who think it is what will plunge them into perpetual unemployment. The World Economic Forum agrees with them and has predicted that AI will cause 84 million jobs worldwide to be replaced by 2025.

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That analysis by the World Economic Forum is already unfolding. Last December, it was confirmed that layoffs resulting from AI advances have already become a big issue. In 2023 alone, almost 40% of business leaders in the United States confirmed that AI had replaced some of their workers. 

Some believe he is being hypocritical, especially since he pushes hard for regulation in other industries where he thinks it is needed, such as the gasoline and oil industry. However, Newsom does not believe he is being hypocritical and has been trying to take a more nuanced approach, claiming the environment is being made toxic for technology inventors. 

Newsom does not believe in regulating AI but has said he is open to laying down some ground rules. He seems to be very concerned about how they can be used in the upcoming elections. He fears unsavory characters can undermine Democratic elections by using bots, and while the fear is still unfounded for now, it is a genuine possibility. 

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Some support Newsom’s stance against regulation, claiming it can be counterproductive, even if it has good intentions. They believe overregulation can stifle the growth of smaller companies while letting already established AI giants consolidate power.

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