Assessing Public Support for Generative AI Legislation in California

This study investigates the current climate of public opinion among California voters regarding proposed legislation to establish safety protocols and safeguards for the use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in state government operations. As the rapid advancement of GenAI has outpaced the development of comprehensive regulatory frameworks, there is a pressing need to examine whether voters would endorse or reject such legislative proposals upon being informed about the absence of adequate safety measures. The relevant literature surrounding the study informed of proposed safety guidelines for this innovative technology, but no forcing mechanisms or current legislation to support them. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach involving surveys and expert interviews, the research aims to ascertain the potential impact of informing the public about the importance of pre-deployment testing, cybersecurity practices, hacking protections, emergency shut-off commands, and restrictions on deepfakes generated by AI. By assessing public support for these proposed safeguards, the study seeks to inform policymaking and raise awareness about the responsible development and deployment of transformative GenAI technologies.