Elon Musk supports California’s AI safety bill

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO and owner of artificial intelligence company xAI, Elon Musk, voiced support for California’s controversial AI safety bill in a social media post on Monday.

“This is a tough call and will make some people upset, but, all things considered, I think California should probably pass the SB 1047 AI safety bill.” Musk said in a post on social media platform X.

“For over 20 years, I have been an advocate for AI regulation, just as we regulate any product or technology that is a potential risk to the public,” he added.

The bill has been passed by the state senate and is scheduled for a vote in the state assembly by the end of this week. The bill aims to establish clear safety standards for developers of AI systems.

California state senator Scott Wiener, co-author of the bill, accused some opponents of ‘fearmongering.’

Backing Wiener’s bill, Musk said it is a ‘bitter pill‘ in a separate post on platform X on Monday.

Musk’s support for SB 1047 sets him apart from other AI companies. Tech giants like OpenAI (MSFT), Meta (META), and other AI startups have voiced their opposition against the bill.

They argue that the bill’s strict rules could hinder AI development and make California less attractive for AI research and startups.