California agency relaxes draft AI rules after pressure from Newsom, industry

California’s privacy agency is significantly weakening proposed draft artificial intelligence rules governing automated decision-making technologies and other key areas, after being pressured by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), state lawmakers and industry groups to ease a number of provisions aimed at providing strong safeguards over AI and other technologies.

The California Privacy Protection Agency has set a June 2 comment deadline after its governing board May 1 approved proposed changes by staff to a package of draft rules that includes...