She argued that SB 1047 “will harm our emerging AI ecosystem,” particularly affecting sectors that are already at a disadvantage compared to big tech companies, such as the public sector, academia, and smaller tech companies.
Even some AI researchers and developers who support the idea of regulation have criticized the bill. Andrew Ng, a prominent AI entrepreneur and former head of AI at Google, has called the bill “anti-open source” and “anti-innovation” in a post on X, arguing that it targets the general development of AI technology rather than focusing on specific harmful applications.
Not only tech leaders, but also Democratic lawmakers have vehemently opposed the bill. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who represents San Francisco, has been particularly vocal in her opposition, labeling the bill “well-intentioned but ill-informed.” She and Reps. Ro Khanna and Zoe Lofgren argue that the bill could harm California’s tech industry by imposing burdensome regulations that may deter AI development.