Elon Musk says he’s backing California’s controversial AI bill

“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,” Elon Musk wrote in an X post on Monday.

California’s controversial AI safety bill, SB 1047, has an unexpected supporter — Elon Musk.

“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 wrote in an X post on Monday.

The bill, which was introduced by California State Sen. Scott Wiener in February, seeks to establish “clear, predictable, common-sense safety standards for developers of the largest and most powerful AI systems.”

Notably, SB 1047 would require AI companies to implement strict safety protocols and a kill switch to their AI models. The bill is set for a final vote in the California Assembly at the end of the month.

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. For over 20 years, I have been an advocate for AI regulation, just as we regulate any product/technology that is a potential risk… — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 26, 2024

Backing Wiener’s bill, Musk said, is a “bitter pill” to swallow — but is in line with his own stance on AI regulation.

“I’m just being consistent with what I’ve been saying for 20 years. The xAI team is primarily in Palo Alto, so this affects us too,” Musk wrote in a separate post, referencing the AI startup he launched last year.

Wiener and Musk previously butted heads on legislation that banned schools from notifying parents about their child’s gender identity changes.

Musk’s support for SB 1047 sets him apart from his competitors in the AI race. Tech companies like OpenAI and Meta have voiced their opposition against the bill.

Amazon-backed Anthropic has given its cautious approval of the bill. However, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei noted in a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom of California last week that “there are still some aspects of the bill which seem concerning or ambiguous to us.”

Musk has long warned about the risks and dangers of AI to society, though that hasn’t stopped him from trying to dominate the AI space.

Back in May, Musk’s xAI that it raised $6 billion in funding for their Series B funding round.

The mercurial billionaire has also sought to position EV maker Tesla as an “AI or robotics company.”

“If you value Tesla as just like an auto company, fundamentally, it’s just the wrong framework, and if you ask the wrong question, then the right answer is impossible,” Musk said during an earnings call in April.

Representatives for Musk didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from B-17 sent outside regular business hours.