The bill was recently amended to address concerns from critics, including AI company Anthropic, and is currently headed to California’s Assembly for a vote. Since this is a state bill, Pelosi and others in Congress don’t have any official say — though Pelosi’s seniority and profile are likely to give her opinion weight with California politicians.

“AI springs from California,” she said. “We must have legislation that is a model for the nation and the world. We have the opportunity and responsibility to enable small entrepreneurs and academia – not big tech – to dominate.”