Can one state save us from AI disaster? Inside California's new legislative crackdown

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ZDNET's key takeaways

• California's new AI safety law goes into effect Jan. 1.
• It centers on transparency and whistleblower protections.
• Some AI safety experts say the tech is evolving too quickly.

A new California law going into effect Thursday, Jan. 1, aims to add a measure of transparency and accountability to the AI industry at a time when some experts are warning that the technology could potentially escape human control and cause catastrophe.

Originally authored by state Democrat Scott Wiener, the law requires companies developing frontier AI models to publish information on their websites detailing their plans and policies for responding to "catastrophic risk," and to notify state authorities about any "critical safety incident" within fifteen days. Fines for failing to meet these terms can reach up to $1 million per violation ...