Inside Anthropic's state-by-state plan to ratchet up AI rules (www.businessinsider.com)

Anthropic, a leading AI company, is adopting a state-by-state strategy to advocate for stricter regulations on artificial intelligence, diverging from rival OpenAI's push for uniformity in legislation. Cesar Fernandez, Anthropic's head of U.S. state relations, emphasized the company's commitment to elevating safety standards for AI systems as opposed to supporting a single, consistent bill across the nation. This approach reflects Anthropic's origins, as its executives left OpenAI over safety concerns. The company's endorsement of California's pioneering AI regulation law has set the stage for its involvement in similar legislative efforts in New York, Illinois, and Massachusetts, aiming to raise the bar on AI safety requirements. The implications of this divergence are significant for the AI/ML community, particularly as regulatory clarity remains elusive with Congress slow to act. Anthropic's proposed measures include mandatory annual independent audits for AI companies and assessments for catastrophic risks, contributing to a growing landscape of state-level AI regulations. As these strategies unfold, the competition between Anthropic and OpenAI will shape the future of AI governance in the U.S., impacting innovation and safety standards across the industry.