The local's guide to the startups, research labs, and people driving the next industrial revolution in our backyard.
Stay informed on the AI developments shaping the valley's future.
KBAK/KBFX is running a reader poll on whether warnings about artificial intelligence risks will affect how people vote in the Nov. 3 election.
BakersfieldNow posted a poll asking if AI risk warnings will influence votes in November. The prompt references President Trump calling new AI guardrails a "hoax" that could help China.
OpenAI disclosed six recent cases of 'concerning' model behavior and rolled out a misalignment reporting framework. Local schools and a major Valley hospital already have AI use rules that could be shaped by these disclosures.
Meta’s CEO pushed back on calls for a coordinated AI slowdown, saying labs should police themselves. Valley campuses and county services already run tools built on Meta models.
A Bakersfield tech expert and local parents say AI companions are edging into kids' social lives, citing a teen-use study and a lawsuit after a 2025 suicide.
