Reflecting growing concerns about artificial intelligence, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the AI Transparency Act (SB 942) in September 2024, a landmark law that establishes safety and disclosure requirements for artificial intelligence. A main provision requires large-scale AI developers to provide tools that allow the public to determine if audio, images, text or video were created by artificial intelligence.
Since the bill was signed into law, controversy has arisen over how best to regulate the rapidly evolving technology. Some critics worry about the state’s jurisdiction to limit the development of machine learning through strict regulations. However, supporters argue the implementation of the AI Transparency Act ultimately benefits California residents by protecting the public from misinformation and increasing accountability in the AI industry.
“Innovation should come along with public safety and I believe that the law ensures that as technology develops rapidly, California remains protected and informed from AI,” junior Jennifer Ko said.
Whether it’s for academics or entertainment, the frequency of AI use has increased drastically in recent years. Approximately 57% of Americans use AI for various purposes, with 40% saying that their use has increased over the past year, according to the Pew Research Center. While AI is becoming increasingly dominant in daily life, about 50% of Americans are concerned that the growing use of AI could cause issues like hacking and deepfakes, according to the Pew Research Center.
“People see a need for regulation as [hackers are] stealing identity, stealing art and using people’s information in a way that they are not comfortable with,” social studies teacher Alyson Choi said. “So I think that new AI technology is being regulated so that people’s information cannot just be abused or misinformation cannot be spread.”
In addition to benefiting public safety, the law positively transforms the students’ understanding of technology and critical thinking by fostering awareness towards AI. The law’s requirement teaches students how AI should be developed responsibly by setting clear standards of AI, ultimately encouraging students to analyze technology critically.
“[Students] need to know about their digital footprint and how it can be used by anyone on the internet,” Choi said. “So I think as students getting jobs and applying for college, they should think about what they post and be accountable.”
The AI Transparency Act also helps the aged population detect fraud and misinformation. By requiring a clear label of AI-generated content, this implementation allows seniors to protect themselves from scams and digital hacking.
“We have a crowd that is susceptible to AI, especially like an older population, where this technology is incredibly foreign that it’s hard to detect the difference between real life and AI,” social studies teacher Naomi Chia said.
However, the AI Transparency Act could restrict AI growth and innovation. By imposing strict requirements on how technology could be utilized and developed, the law may limit the access of data available to train machine learning models.
“I’m concerned about how the AI Transparency Act could potentially prevent the development of AI in the rapidly evolving technology industry,” Choi said.
Although critics argue the AI Transparency Act could slow innovation, it promotes safer, more responsible AI. Restrictions on data and clear labeling of AI teach developers to prioritize ethics and transparency, guaranteeing AI grows in a sustainable environment.
“[The bill] is a way to protect the public and consumers of technology as we’re moving into this era of technology growing more and more prevalent,” Choi said. “Everything we do as AI is an innovation in technology nowadays.”
