California AI bill blocked by governor, and other digital technology stories you need to know

California's governor, Gavin Newsom, has blocked a controversial artificial intelligence safety bill, which had generated strong opposition from major technology companies. The bill would have imposed some of the first legislation on AI in the United States, reports the BBC.

In a statement, the governor explained: "I do not believe this is the best approach to protecting the public from real threats posed by the technology."

He said that any AI regulation needed to "keep pace with the technology itself" and Newsom said he was committed to finding a path forward that mitigates risks and protects against threats without "thwarting the promise of this technology to advance the public good".

The bill would have required the most advanced AI models to undergo safety testing and forced developers to include a 'kill switch' to isolate and cut off an AI system.

The United States and United Kingdom governments have announced they will set up and launch a new working group on children's online safety.

In a statement, the UK government said there was currently "limited research and evidence on the causal impact that social media has on children and young people".

Once the group is established, it will work in areas including increased transparency from platforms. The countries will also share expertise on safety technologies and the impact of generative AI.

"The online world brings incredible benefits for young people, enriching their education and social lives. But these experiences must take place in an environment which has safety baked in from the outset, not as an afterthought," UK Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said.

A study has found that newer, larger versions of three major artificial intelligence chatbots are more likely to generate wrong answers than to admit ignorance. It also found that, in general, people aren't good at spotting the bad answers.

Microsoft's head of AI has said that AI assistants with "really good long-term memory" are around a year away. “I think we’re moving to a fundamentally new age where there will be ever-present, persistent, very capable co-pilot companions in your everyday life,” he said, according to BBC reporting.

Fourteen attorneys general in the United States have sued TikTok, which says the social media platform is helping drive a teen mental health crisis. The platform called it "disappointing".

Brazil has lifted a ban on the social media platform X – formerly Twitter – after the site paid fines and agreed to appoint a local representative.

The US Federal Trade Commission has announced actions against five businesses it said were using AI in deceptive and unfair ways.

Google has announced plans to buy power from multiple small modular reactors to help meet the electricity demands of artificial intelligence.

The Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, Shaktikanta Das, has warned of the financial risks of AI. The growing use of technology, including AI and machine learning, in financial services could impact financial stability, he told an event in New Delhi.

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