The Future of AI Safety: California's Vetoed Bill & What Comes Next

This commentary analyzes California Governor Gavin Newsom’s veto of SB 1047, a proposed framework for regulating frontier AI models, arguing for a flexible, evidence-based, risk-focused approach to AI governance that avoids stifling innovation. It highlights California’s outsized influence on tech policy, outlines collaborative steps for legislators and stakeholders (e.g., a joint task force, transparent input, iterative updates), and benchmarks the EU AI Act’s risk-based model, noting both its strengths (comprehensiveness, rights protection) and challenges (complexity, SME burden). The piece concludes that California can still set a national and global precedent by crafting adaptable, safety-conscious AI regulations through government–industry collaboration.