An unlikely alliance of former President Donald Trump and Silicon Valley CEOs has formed to oppose California‘s proposed “Responsible AI Safety and Equity (RAISE) Act,” a groundbreaking piece of state legislation aimed at regulating artificial intelligence.
The bill, making its way through the Sacramento legislature, is championed by proponents as a vital guardrail against the unchecked power of AI. However, for its powerful detractors, it represents government overreach that threatens to cripple American innovation. So, what exactly is in this AI bill that has sparked such a political firestorm?
What’s Inside the California RAISE Act?
The legislation is built on three core pillars that would fundamentally change how AI is developed and deployed in the state.
1. Strict Liability for “High-Risk” AI Systems
This is the bill’s most contentious provision. The RAISE Act would make companies legally liable for harms caused by their “high-risk” AI systems. This category covers AI used in critical areas like employment, loan applications, criminal justice, and autonomous vehicles. If an AI model used for hiring shows bias and leads to a discrimination lawsuit, the company that deployed it could be held directly responsible. For tech companies, this introduces a significant new level of legal and financial risk.
2. Mandatory Transparency and Third-Party Audits
Under the RAISE Act, companies deploying high-risk AI would be required to commission independent, third-party audits before their products go to market. These audits would evaluate the AI for potential bias, security flaws, and safety risks. Furthermore, the bill mandates “explainability,” forcing companies to provide clear, plain-language descriptions of how their AI systems arrive at consequential decisions. Industry leaders argue this could force them to reveal proprietary code and trade secrets.
3. An Outright Ban on Specific AI Uses
The RAISE Act proposes a complete ban on certain AI applications deemed too dangerous for public use. This includes the use of real-time facial recognition technology by law enforcement in public spaces and the development of AI-powered “social scoring” systems by any public or private entity. While civil liberties groups have applauded this measure, tech firms developing these technologies view it as a direct threat to their business models.
The Opposition: An Unlikely Alliance
The powerful coalition opposing the RAISE Act is as unusual as it is influential.
Why Tech Industry Leaders Oppose the Bill
CEOs from major tech firms have warned that the bill would create a “patchwork” of state-by-state regulations, making it nearly impossible to build and scale products for a national market. They argue that heavy compliance costs and liability risks will stifle innovation, slow progress, and allow international rivals, especially China, to gain an edge in the global AI race.
Donald Trump‘s Stance on the RAISE Act
Echoing the industry’s concerns, former President Donald Trump has also condemned the legislation. In a post on his social media platform, he described the bill as a “Radical Left Democrat plot to kill our great American tech companies.” He frames the regulation as anti-business and a classic example of government bureaucracy strangling the free market.
The Global Stakes: Why California‘s AI Bill Matters
The battle over the RAISE Act is more than just American political theater. What happens in California often sets a de facto regulatory standard for the rest of the nation and the world. As countries and governing bodies debate their own frameworks for AI, the fate of the RAISE Act serves as a preview of the global tug-of-war to come—a high-stakes conflict between innovating quickly and ensuring safety and equity. The world is taking notes.
