Latest news with #StevePadilla
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Atkins opens San Diego Campaign office in Governor's race
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)–The race for California governor gained momentum Saturday as longtime San Diego politician Toni Atkins officially opened her campaign headquarters near Mission Hills, rallying supporters and securing endorsements from several high-profile Democrats. Atkins, a former San Diego City Council member, state Assembly speaker and president pro tempore of the state Senate, told the crowd that her political journey has been shaped by both California and her hometown. 'California has given me every opportunity and here I am in San Diego. San Diego has given me every opportunity and frankly made who I am,' she said. Among those endorsing Atkins were state Sen. Steve Padilla, Mayor Todd Gloria, Assemblymember Chris Ward, U.S. Rep. Scott Peters and San Diego County Supervisor Paloma Aguirre. 'Toni Atkins is a doer and not a talker. She leads with action and eloquent example,' Padilla said. Gloria called her 'the real deal,' and Ward praised her 'unshakable commitment to justice and equity.' A proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, Atkins has been a longtime advocate for gay rights. She has also held some of the state's most powerful positions, including serving as acting mayor of San Diego and acting governor of California. In a one-on-one interview, Atkins said she plans to focus on California's affordability crisis, particularly housing and access to health care. She also criticized policies from Washington, D.C., that she said undermine the state. 'This is chaos. It is manufactured chaos coming out of Washington,' she said. 'I will stand strong in the face of the administration that is really attacking California values and our people.' The primary election to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is termed out, will be held in June. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
California Senate advances AI regulation bills despite federal pushback
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Two California bills aimed at tightening regulation of artificial intelligence cleared a major hurdle this week, passing the state Senate amid growing tension between state and federal lawmakers over how — and who — should govern the fast-evolving technology. The bills, both authored by Sen. Steve Padilla (D-San Diego), take direct aim at the mental health risks of AI tools and the lack of transparency in automated decision-making systems. But they may soon run up against a proposed federal moratorium that would block states from enacting AI regulations for the next decade, as reported by the Associated Press. First, there's SB 243. It targets the growing use of AI chatbots marketed as companions for mental health support and emotional wellbeing. The bill would ban the use of addictive engagement tactics and require developers to notify users regularly that the chatbot is not human. 'Tech companies are creating these AI products in a regulatory vacuum,' Padilla stated on the issue. 'But, they have proven they cannot be trusted to minimize the risks they pose to the public on their own. The stakes are too high to allow vulnerable users to continue to access this technology without proper guardrails in place to ensure transparency, safety, and accountability.' California senator slams ICE raid at San Diego restaurants: 'weaponized hate' Meanwhile, SB 420 takes a broader approach, seeking to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework around AI use in both public and private decision-making systems. The legislation would mandate that individuals be informed when AI tools are used to make decisions about them, explain how the systems function, and provide a process for human appeal in some cases. It also calls for impact assessments to measure potential data misuse or algorithmic bias. The two bills now move to the State Assembly and, if approved, could be on Governor Gavin Newsom's desk later this year. The legislative momentum in Sacramento stands in sharp contrast to efforts in Washington, D.C., where a House Republican-backed reconciliation bill would impose a 10-year freeze on state or local AI regulations. Critics argue the federal proposal could stall crucial oversight during a pivotal time for AI development. Padilla has strongly opposed the federal moratorium, stating, 'California has a proud heritage as a home for technological vision while enforcing ethical, safe standards in concert with those values, not in opposition. However, federal mismanagement has left the public vulnerable to the dangers AI poses. California must step in to provide guiderails that create common sense consumer protections while still fostering innovation.' The state's push for AI accountability comes on the heels of a March report from a working group appointed by Gov. Newsom, offering policy guidance on responsible AI governance. This week, 260 lawmakers from all 50 states — Democrats and Republicans alike — signed a joint letter to Congress urging them to reject the proposed moratorium, highlighting a growing bipartisan consensus around the need for state-level action. As AI tools become more integrated into daily life, California appears determined to lead the charge — even if it means challenging federal authority. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
California Senate passes bill that aims to make AI chatbots safer
California lawmakers on Tuesday moved one step closer to placing more guardrails around artificial intelligence-powered chatbots. The Senate passed a bill that aims to make chatbots used for companionship safer after parents raised concerns that virtual characters harmed their childrens' mental health. Read more: Teens are spilling dark thoughts to AI chatbots. Who's to blame when something goes wrong? The legislation, which now heads to the California State Assembly, shows how state lawmakers are tackling safety concerns surrounding AI as tech companies release more AI-powered tools. "The country is watching again for California to lead," said Sen. Steve Padilla (D-Chula Vista), one of the lawmakers who introduced the bill, on the Senate floor. At the same time, lawmakers are trying to balance concerns that they could be hindering innovation. Groups opposed to the bill such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation say the legislation is too broad and would run into free speech issues, according to a Senate floor analysis of the bill. Under Senate Bill 243, operators of companion chatbot platforms would remind users at least every three hours that the virtual characters aren't human. They would also disclose that companion chatbots might not be suitable for some minors. Platforms would also need to take other steps such as implementing a protocol for addressing suicidal ideation, suicide or self-harm expressed by users. That includes showing users suicide prevention resources. The operator of these platforms would also report the number of times a companion chatbot brought up suicide ideation or actions with a user, along with other requirements. Dr. Akilah Weber Pierson, one of the bill's co-authors, said she supports innovation but it also must come with "ethical responsibility." Chatbots, the senator said, are engineered to hold people's attention including children. 'When a child begins to prefer interacting with AI over real human relationships, that is very concerning," said Sen. Weber Pierson (D-La Mesa). The bill defines companion chatbots as AI systems capable of meeting the social needs of users. It excludes chatbots that businesses use for customer service. The legislation garnered support from parents who lost their children after they started chatting with chatbots. One of those parents is Megan Garcia, a Florida mom who sued Google and after her son Sewell Setzer III died by suicide last year. In the lawsuit, she alleges the platform's chatbots harmed her son's mental health and failed to notify her or offer help when he expressed suicidal thoughts to these virtual characters. based in Menlo Park, Calif., is a platform where people can create and interact with digital characters that mimic real and fictional people. The company has said that it takes teen safety seriously and rolled out a feature that gives parents more information about the amount of time their children are spending with chatbots on the platform. asked a federal court to dismiss the lawsuit, but a federal judge in May allowed the case to proceed. Sign up for our Wide Shot newsletter to get the latest entertainment business news, analysis and insights. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
03-06-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
California Senate passes bill that aims to make AI chatbots safer
California lawmakers on Tuesday moved one step closer to placing more guardrails around artificial intelligence-powered chatbots. The Senate passed a bill that aims to make chatbots used for companionship safer after parents raised concerns that virtual characters harmed their childrens' mental health. The legislation, which now heads to the California State Assembly, shows how state lawmakers are tackling safety concerns surrounding AI as tech companies release more AI-powered tools. 'The country is watching again for California to lead,' said Sen. Steve Padilla (D-Chula Vista), one of the lawmakers who introduced the bill, on the Senate floor. At the same time, lawmakers are trying to balance concerns that they could be hindering innovation. Groups opposed to the bill such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation say the legislation is too broad and would run into free speech issues, according to a Senate floor analysis of the bill. Under Senate Bill 243, operators of companion chatbot platforms would remind users at least every three hours that the virtual characters aren't human. They would also disclose that companion chatbots might not be suitable for some minors. Platforms would also need to take other steps such as implementing a protocol for addressing suicidal ideation, suicide or self-harm expressed by users. That includes showing users suicide prevention resources. The operator of these platforms would also report the number of times a companion chatbot brought up suicide ideation or actions with a user, along with other requirements. Dr. Akilah Weber Pierson, one of the bill's co-authors, said she supports innovation but it also must come with 'ethical responsibility.' Chatbots, the senator said, are engineered to hold people's attention including children. 'When a child begins to prefer interacting with AI over real human relationships, that is very concerning,' said Sen. Weber Pierson (D-La Mesa). The bill defines companion chatbots as AI systems capable of meeting the social needs of users. It excludes chatbots that businesses use for customer service. The legislation garnered support from parents who lost their children after they started chatting with chatbots. One of those parents is Megan Garcia, a Florida mom who sued Google and after her son Sewell Setzer III died by suicide last year. In the lawsuit, she alleges the platform's chatbots harmed her son's mental health and failed to notify her or offer help when he expressed suicidal thoughts to these virtual characters. based in Menlo Park, Calif., is a platform where people can create and interact with digital characters that mimic real and fictional people. The company has said that it takes teen safety seriously and rolled out a feature that gives parents more information about the amount of time their children are spending with chatbots on the platform. asked a federal court to dismiss the lawsuit, but a federal judge in May allowed the case to proceed.
Axios
03-06-2025
- Business
- Axios
California AI bills advance as Congress considers state-level regulation ban
Two California bills aiming to regulate artificial intelligence passed the state Senate this week. Why it matters: Those bills — both authored by Sen. Steve Padilla (D-San Diego) are clashing with efforts in D.C. to stop state-level AI legislation. House Republicans' reconciliation bill would prohibit states or localities from regulating AI for a decade. State of play: One bill, SB 243, aims to counter tech marketing of chatbots as an alleviation to loneliness and mental health struggles. It would prohibit operators from relying on addictive practices to boost engagement, require notifications and reminders the bot is not human. Between the lines: The other bill, SB 420, seeks to create a regulatory framework for AI systems. It would require for individuals to be notified when a public or private automated system is used to make decisions about them, how the tool works and in some cases to appeal for review by a person. The bill would also force an impact assessment on the purpose, use of data and potential for bias present in those automated systems. What they're saying: "Tech companies would have us believe any regulation at all would be disastrous," Padilla said in a statement. "The truth is it would be disastrous to allow tech titans to operate AI without oversight, accountability, or restraint." What's next: Both bills now move to the Assembly before a potential trip to the governor's desk. The big picture: All over the country, states are advancing and implementing AI safeguards while Congress considers a national moratorium in the reconciliation bill. Padilla told Axios he "can't think of a more irresponsible or stupid thing to do at this juncture" than for Congress to pass the AI moratorium and stop state lawmakers from regulating the tech. Threat level: The proposed federal moratorium could hinder California's broader efforts to develop a framework for governing AI models. In March, a working group appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom released a report outlining guidance for policymakers on how to regulate the burgeoning industry, which Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) said strikes "a thoughtful balance between the need for safeguards and the need to support innovation." "AI presents tremendous opportunities to transform our world for the better. At the same rapid pace of technological advancement in AI means policymakers must act with haste to impose reasonable guardrails to mitigate foreseeable risks," Wiener, who introduced AI whistleblower bill SB 53 in February, said in a statement . The bottom line: California has historically led on tech regulation while Congress gets stuck in debate mode — first on privacy and now on AI. The state has enacted a wide range of bills addressing everything from digital replicas of individuals to election ads, and has more legislation in the works. Today, 260 state lawmakers from both sides of the aisle across all 50 states sent a letter to Congress urging lawmakers to oppose the moratorium.
