A former researcher at Anthropic and OpenAI is making headlines after posting that artificial intelligence could end humanity within a decade, saying the companies he worked for were not acting responsibly during his three years there. Whether you read that as a dire warning or an overstatement, it landed in the middle of an active stretch for California policy. Governor Newsom signed legislation that increases safety risk assessments for AI, and additional regulations on data centers are expected this week.
That second part hits close to home. Several California cities and counties have already paused plans to build data centers, largely over questions about energy and water use. In a region shaped by the Sacramento and American rivers and the Delta, those aren’t hypothetical concerns. Data centers need serious power and cooling, and communities are starting to ask what they get in return.
Meanwhile, the midterm elections are less than two months away, control of Congress is in the balance, and California voters will decide Proposition 39, which would require ID checks to cast a ballot. Three big stories, one fall season. So what’s the issue you’re watching closest: AI rules, data centers, or how we vote?
About the Author
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
