Unregulated AI Could Pose "Irreversible Harms" California Report Says

And the window for meaningful regulation might be closing fast

While AI could offer transformative benefits, without proper safeguards it could cause “potentially irreversible harms,” a report commissioned by California Governor Gavin Newsom has warned, citing emerging evidence that AI could facilitate biological or nuclear weapon creation.

“The opportunity to establish effective AI governance frameworks may not remain open indefinitely,” says the report, which was published earlier today. Citing new evidence that AI can help users source nuclear-grade uranium and is on the cusp of letting novices create biological threats, it notes that the cost for inaction at this current moment could be “extremely high.”

The report was commissioned after Newsom vetoed the SB 1047 AI safety bill in his state, and comes amid Republican efforts to impose a 10 year ban on all state AI regulation. It was co-led by a trio of experts, including a prominent proponent of the bill, Fei-Fei Li. I obtained an embargoed version of the report, and spoke with one of the co-leads, and one of the lead writers. Read more in my latest for TIME.