California and NVIDIA Partner on AI Training, Berkeley Launches AI-Centered Law Degree, and Ensuring Chatbots Reflect Global Diversity

Welcome to SV-AI (Silicon Valley - Accelerates Innovation), my newsletter focused on the responsible development and deployment of innovations strengthening California's global competitive edge. Please subscribe to receive upcoming editions. Here, I’ll share tech policy news and leadership insights that you need to know and how technologies, like Artificial Intelligence, are being used IRL. In this edition, I’ll share a new partnership announced by California and NVIDIA, UC Berkeley’s first-of-its-kind law program focused on AI, and a new Stanford study that looks at chatbots from a global diversity perspective.??

AI 101?

This week, I’m recommending another LinkedIn newsletter: AI at Work which explores AI in the workplace and is authored by Microsoft Corporate Vice President Jared Spataro. I've found this edition to be a helpful introductory primer for those who may be new to using AI tools at work.?

I also highly recommend giving a listen to the interview with Thomas Dohmke, CEO of GitHub, on the Decoder podcast with Nilay Patel . It’s an interesting conversation about how the developer platform is thinking about AI and the success of GitHub Copilot.?

I really appreciated the discussion around competition in AI - which I believe is relevant, frankly,?to any business line. Dohmke compares innovating in AI to competing in sports, saying, “The new season starts and the competition starts anew. I think that’s actually fun because you wouldn’t want to watch your favorite sport with just one team in the league or in the championship. You want different teams competing against each other, and you want to see how they can play the infinite game.”

Finally, please check out this recent op-ed in Capitol Weekly from SVLG SVP Peter Leroe-Mu?oz on the potential implications of an AI bill in Sacramento that I touched on in the last edition of SV-AI (SB 1047).? Peter lays out a compelling argument that “entrepreneurs, innovators and leading companies should not be expected to predict how their technology may be used by third-parties over whom they have no control.”

I acknowledge that I’m certainly biased - but I think his points are balanced and the piece is a particularly timely one.?

Please let me know in the comments what you think or if you have other “AI 101” suggestions that I should include in future editions of SV-AI.

California and NVIDIA Partner on AI Training?

Governor Newsom and NVIDIA last week announced a first-of-its-kind partnership to equip students and workers with the skills they need for jobs in the field of artificial intelligence.?

In a press release, Newsom stated, “California’s world-leading companies are pioneering AI breakthroughs, and it’s essential that we create more opportunities for Californians to get the skills to utilize this technology and advance their careers.”

This is the latest example of the power of private-public partnerships and the benefits they can bring to the state of California. The initiative will serve 100,000 residents and focus on AI skills training, supporting job creation, and using AI to improve the lives of people across the Golden State.?

I think it’s a very exciting announcement and I commend our Governor, Dee Dee Myers , and the team at NVIDIA for developing this template.?

There’s definitely tremendous potential here for our future workforce. Please also stay tuned for details on how SVLG’s Institute for California AI Policy is working to develop community college curriculum in the Golden State that will shape our AI workforce.?

A New AI-Centered Law Degree?

UC Berkeley announced a new AI-centered Master of Laws program aimed at working professionals who are interested in exploring how AI is regulated and governed.?

The program will begin next year and offer both in-person and online courses. According to the press release , students will study data privacy, intellectual property, and licensing and risk.

How cool is this! And, Cal is one of the first schools to offer such a program.?

As AI grows, we can expect a growing demand for individuals who are well versed in the ethical, regulatory, and policy challenges posed by AI. What better place to study such topics than somewhere in close proximity to Silicon Valley?

AI Chatbots Should Reflect Global Diversity???

A new study from Stanford University researchers asserts that AI chatbots are far too often “English-language centric” as the vast majority of creators are based in English-speaking countries.?

The researchers provide several recommendations to address this issue and ensure that the growing market of large language models better reflect global diversity.?

According to ZDNET , these include “recognizing that the alignment of language models is not a one-size-fits-all solution”, greater transparency, and leveraging multilingual datasets.??

It’s quite interesting - check out the full report here .?

AI IRL?

The City of San José, with funding provided by the Toyota Mobility Foundation and US Ignite, is exploring how advanced AI and computer vision technologies can improve local traffic safety.?

The initiative is focused on detecting road obstructions – like illegally dumped furniture – that impede the pathways of motorcyclists, bikers, pedestrians. Ultimately, the goal of leveraging AI in this way is to improve service delivery and to free up resources for other challenges.?

The program underscores how San José’s is leveraging innovative solutions to improve services and municipal operations.

I’ve shared this many times here and I’ll say it again - I believe San José and their city leadership are setting the standard for U.S. municipalities in their approach to AI innovation.?

The leadership in my view helps enhance the value proposition of the City, which also makes public-private partnerships more attractive and viable.??

It creates a virtuous cycle that I hope will pay dividends for residents and businesses.

Final Thoughts?

If you follow me on LinkedIn , you know I’m a firm believer in the Bay Area as the epicenter of global innovation.?

In my latest op-ed, I shared just a handful of ideas that are meant to be accretive to the dialogue on business climate and how we make our region more competitive.

I believe that our region cannot simply rest on our laurels, particularly as an important election approaches in November.?

Further, I feel strongly that we must approach public policy with the same innovative lens and eye to value creation required each day in the business world.?

You can read the piece here and I’m hopeful that the perspective I provided is of some value.

Thank you, all. I am very grateful for your engagement and all of your support.

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