SB 721: California Interagency AI Working Group

Senate Bill 721 by Sen. Josh Becker (D-San Mateo) would create the California Interagency AI Working Group. SB 721 would add and repeal Government Code Section 11546.47 to create this Working Group, require a legislative report, and then disband it by January 1, 2030.

The bill would create the California Interagency WI Working Group in order to deliver a report to the Legislature regarding artificial intelligence. The members of this Working Group would be Californians with expertise in two or more of five specified areas. The Group would be chaired by the California Director of Technology.

The Working Group would have ten members including two appointees each by the Governor, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Speaker of the Assembly, and Attorney General, as well as one appointee by the California Privacy Protection Agency and the Department of Technology.

The Group would be required to accept input from a broad range of stakeholders, including from academia, consumer advocacy groups, and small, medium, and large businesses affected by artificial intelligence policies. In addition, the Working Group would be required to do the following:

• Recommend a definition of artificial intelligence as it pertains to its use in technology for use in legislation.

• Study the implications of the usage of artificial intelligence for data collection to inform testing and evaluation, verification and validation of artificial intelligence to ensure that artificial intelligence will perform as intended, and minimize performance problems and unanticipated outcomes.

• Determine proactive steps to prevent artificial intelligence-assisted misinformation campaigns and unnecessary exposure for children to the potentially harmful effects of artificial intelligence.

• Determine the relevant agencies to develop and oversee artificial intelligence policy and implementation of that policy.

• Determine how the Working Group and the Department of Justice can leverage the substantial and growing expertise of the California Privacy Protection Agency in the long-term development of data privacy policies that affect the privacy, rights, and the use of artificial intelligence online.

The bill would also require prior to January 1, 2025, and every two years thereafter, the Working Group to submit a report to the Legislature regarding the five items set forth above. The members of the Working Group would not receive compensation, just expense reimbursement. Finally, this new section of law would remain in effect until January 1, 2030.