Opinion
California’s Proposed Regulation Would Strengthen, Not Harm, AI
The bill would create limited oversight of the most powerful models to prevent significant harms.
AnnaLee Saxenian is professor of information and economic development at the University of California, Berkeley.
Silicon Valley’s success has spawned some pernicious myths, most notably the glorification of the lone entrepreneur working in a garage, unfettered by government oversight. A closely related myth holds that regulation always jeopardizes innovation and technological progress, because government can’t wisely oversee technological change.
It’s an attractive story, but it’s not true. From the earliest days of the semiconductor industry to the rise of the internet, public sector support for technology has been crucial.