**California AI Safety Bill Advances Amid Controversy**

California lawmakers have advanced Senate Bill (SB) 1047, aimed at regulating AI safety, sparking debate in the tech industry. The bill, authored by Senator Scott Wiener, mandates safety testing for advanced AI models and requires developers to implement "kill switches" and undergo third-party audits.

The bill has passed the State Assembly and awaits Governor Gavin Newsom's decision by September 30. While proponents argue it's crucial to prevent AI-related societal harm, critics, including tech giants like OpenAI, Google, and Meta, claim it could stifle innovation.

Notably, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and AI policy experts have voiced concerns about potential overreach affecting smaller companies. However, some, like Amazon’s Anthropic, support the bill, citing its potential benefits.

SB 1047 is part of a broader legislative effort in California, with other bills like SB 1220 and AB 3211 also under discussion.