SAN FRANCISCO — A group representing numerous public-interest organizations and Senator Scott Wiener urged Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a landmark artificial intelligence regulation bill into law at a press conference Tuesday.

The bill, which has received both support and pushback from prominent tech leaders, would require that companies implement safeguards to protect against AI-driven cyberattacks and its use in the development of chemical, nuclear or biological weapons. Authored by Wiener, it passed through both houses of the state legislature by a wide margin last month.

“If AI models are gaining the ability to wreak havoc as quickly as they are gaining the ability to improve the world, it’s critical that, as we promote innovation, that we also put robust guardrails in place now and not just rely on voluntary, non transparent, unenforceable corporate commitments that may or may not hold water down the road,” Wiener, a San Francisco Democrat, said at the press conference.

Wiener acknowledged the technological potential of AI – to help cure diseases, mitigate the climate crisis and more – but emphasized the importance of getting ahead of risks.