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AI safety showdown: Yann LeCun slams California’s SB 1047 as Geoffrey Hinton backs new regulations

AI pioneers Yann LeCun and Geoffrey Hinton clash over California's SB 1047, a landmark AI safety bill that could reshape the future of AI regulation and development in the US.

His comments were a direct response to Hinton’s endorsement of an open letter signed by over 100 current and former employees of leading AI companies, including OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Anthropic. The letter, submitted to Governor Newsom on September 9th, urged him to sign SB 1047 into law, citing potential “ severe risks ” posed by powerful AI models, such as expanded access to biological weapons and cyberattacks on critical infrastructure. As the AI field continues to advance at a breakneck pace, the outcome of this legislative battle in California may set a crucial precedent for how societies grapple with the promises and perils of increasingly powerful artificial intelligence systems.

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