San Francisco Mayor London Breed said Tuesday that she opposes Senate Bill 1047, a controversial artificial intelligence safety bill that has infuriated many in tech and venture capital.
Breed said in a letter that while she supports the goal of ensuring the technology is used safely, “more work needs to be done to bring together industry, government, and community stakeholders before moving forward with a legislative solution that doesn’t add unnecessary bureaucracy.”
Breed joins a list of elected officials, including Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and other California members of Congress, who have voiced opposition to SB 1047, which was authored by state Sen. Scott Wiener with the intent to add safeguards against the misuse of AI tools.
Breed’s opposition is significant considering San Francisco is largely seen as the beating heart of the AI industry. Additionally, the mayor is a close ally of Wiener and has worked often with the state senator on policy related to housing and other issues.
Breed did not take a position on SB 1047 when The Standard asked her about it last week.
“I share your desire that AI develops in a safe and sustainable way, and I agree with the overall intention of your legislation,” a letter from Breed to Wiener states. “With additional time and collaboration, I am confident we can find a solution that addresses many of the concerns raised in recent months, while still enabling this emerging field to grow in a safe and sustainable way.”
In a statement Tuesday, a Breed spokesperson added that the mayor “has tremendous respect for Senator Wiener and his work, and she believes that there is more work to do.”
SB 1047, which is slated for a floor vote this week in the Legislature, has drawn the ire of Andreessen Horowitz and other heavy hitters in venture capital, who believe the legislation will stifle innovation in AI. In a social media post, Andreessen partner Martin Casado, who has openly feuded with Wiener over the bill, hailed Breed’s position as “sensible.”
London Breed comes out in opposition to SB 1047!
— martin_casado (@martin_casado) August 27, 2024
Incredibly sensible guidance.
"more work needs to be done to bring together industry, government, and community stakeholders before moving forward with a legislative solution that doesn’t add unnecessary bureaucracy." pic.twitter.com/nSOYQvZIZm
SB 1047 has also attracted one particularly high-profile supporter: Elon Musk, who posted Monday on X that it was a “tough call and will make some people upset, but, all things considered,” the bill should pass.
On Tuesday, Wiener said he “respectfully” disagrees with the mayor on the AI bill.
“The great thing about democracy is that we can agree to disagree on an issue while working together on other issues,” Wiener wrote in a statement. “That’s what we’ll do here.”
At a press conference this week, Wiener described the dangers posed by AI as “not made-up science fiction risks” and asserted that California needs to lead in safeguarding the burgeoning technology.
In a letter, Reps. Anna Eshoo, Ro Khanna, and Zoe Lofgren asked Gov. Gavin Newsom to veto the bill if it passes the Legislature. The three noted that it is unusual for members of Congress to weigh in on state legislation but argued that SB 1047 could hurt California’s economy.
If the bill passes in the Legislature, Newsom has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto it.