Scott Wiener says he is ready to help regulate AI in Congress
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After winning a close race for Nancy Pelosi’s former San Francisco seat, California state senator Scott Wiener told MIT Technology Review that he wants to help shape federal artificial intelligence policy. He said Congress needs to act quickly over the risk of losing control of advanced systems and backed a strong federal regulator, whistleblower protections, mandatory testing and audits, and a kill-switch requirement.
Wiener authored SB 1047, which Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed, and sponsored SB 53, a lighter bill that Newsom signed. He also opposes broad federal preemption of state AI laws. His campaign received more than $3 million from Public First Action, a nonprofit substantially funded by Anthropic, prompting criticism; Wiener denies being too close to Big Tech.
Why it matters · editorial interpretation
Wiener’s election could bring to Congress a combination of support for a strong federal regulator, mandatory testing and audits, and whistleblower protections. His opposition to federal preemption and criticism over his campaign funding could also shape the debate over who sets AI rules and amid which political relationships.
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