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Calls for AI slowdown, cameras in special ed classes, Jose Ugarte on CD-9 race and more
Dario Amodei, CEO and co-founder of Anthropic, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 23, 2025.
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Markus Schreiber
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Associated Press
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Jump to
- This week in AI: calls for slowdown, Chinese competition, state regulation and more
- How are California schools faring with later starts?
- Are you mixed race? How do you identify yourself?
- Some parents want cameras in special ed classes
- Los Angeles CD-9 candidate Jose Ugarte
- At what age should kids be independent?
Today on AirTalk: Developments in AI, later start times in schools, mixed race identity, cameras in special ed classes, Jose Ugarte on CD-9 race and independence in kids.
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This week in AI: calls for slowdown, Chinese competition, state regulation and more
The topic:
Following the news storm of a former AI safety employee quitting over concerns that artificial intelligence poses a great threat to humanity, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei wrote an open letter agreeing that AI advancement should slow down and that governments should impose stricter regulations. Although President Donald Trump came out to say everything is fine, California’s Gov. Gavin Newsom signed 13 AI bills into law last Thursday.
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21:27
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Guests: Gerrit De Vynck, tech reporter for the Washington Post, and Eric Goldman, associate dean of research and professor of law at Santa Clara University.
Global reaction: The latest warnings from AI researchers in the West have been contested by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after Amodei also warned of the “grave dangers” China’s AI advancements could pose to the United States and the world. President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are expected to discuss AI governance at a meeting taking place next week.
More about our guests:
- Gerrit De Vynck, tech reporter for the Washington Post covering the artificial intelligence boom and its impact on society
- Eric Goldman, associate dean of research and professor of law at Santa Clara University, where he’s co-director of the High Tech Law Institute
How are California schools faring with later starts?
Students in class at Ascension Catholic School in South Los Angeles.
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Courtesy Archdiocese of Los Angeles
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Sponsored message
The topic:
California’s mandate requiring later start times for middle and high schools is already yielding results, with students sleeping more, reporting better mental health and scoring higher in math and English, according to a new study. Today on AirTalk, we talk with one of the authors of the study about the effects of later start times in school.
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10:40
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Guest: Osea Giuntella, associate professor of economics at the University of Pittsburgh and one of the authors of the study.
The study: A new working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research examines the effects of Senate Bill 328, California’s statewide mandate for later school start times. The law, which went into effect in 2022, requires most middle schools to start no earlier than 8 a.m. and high schools no earlier than 8:30 a.m.
With files from LAist
Are you mixed race? How do you identify yourself?
How do you refer to yourself?
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Artem Onoprienko
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iStockphoto
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The topic:
For mixed race people, your identity is often informed by how you are perceived by monoracial people. But as biracial families become more common, certain mixed identities have become common enough to be their own sort of group. Today on AirTalk, we want to hear from mixed race listeners about how they refer to themselves.
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17:16
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Larry talks with LAist listeners.
Wasians: The term “wasian” has sprung up to describe those who are a mix of white and Asian, and has grown in popularity while supplanting the former term “hapa.”
Mestizo: Pew Research found back in 2015 that a third of Hispanics identified as mixed race, sometimes identifying as a “mulatto” or “mestizo.”
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Some parents want cameras in special ed classes
A special education class at Redwood Heights Elementary School in Oakland.
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Alison Yin for EdSource
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Alison Yin Photography
)
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The topic:
Several states, including Louisiana and Texas, have implemented cameras in special education classrooms to monitor the safety of students. Even more states have pending legislation to require cameras to be added to special education classrooms. Now, parents in the Visalia Unified School District and the Bakersfield City School District in the Central Valley are petitioning for similar oversight in their schools.
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16:27
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Guests: Carolyn Jones, K-12 education reporter for CalMatters, and Denise Marshall, CEO of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA).
Why now? Central Valley’s push for cameras came in the wake of reports that a teacher was abusing and mistreating students with disabilities. A police investigation followed, but charges were ultimately never brought as the statute of limitations ran out.
How might it work? In states where measures have been passed, cameras are limited to self-contained special education classrooms, not in classrooms where students with disabilities are taught alongside non-disabled students. And access to footage is also limited.
More about our guests:
- Carolyn Jones, K-12 education reporter for CalMatters
- Denise Marshall, CEO of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA), an organization that advocates to defend the civil rights of children with disabilities and their families
Los Angeles CD-9 candidate Jose Ugarte
Los Angeles City Council District 9 candidate Jose Ugarte at The Experience Christian Ministries (ECM).
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Kayla Bartkowski
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Getty Images
)
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The topic:
Following the June primary, the stage has been set for Los Angeles Council District 9, with candidates Jose Ugarte and Estuardo Mazareigos being the top two vote-getters to represent the area. Currently represented by Councilmember Curren Price, the district is set to have its first Latino representative. Today on the show, we’re sitting down with CD-9 candidate Jose Ugarte about his candidacy.
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19:10
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Guest: Jose Ugarte, candidate for Los Angeles City Council District 9, which includes Vermont Square, Exposition Park, and parts of DTLA.
History of the council district: Los Angeles city’s 9th council district has seen a lot of geographical change over the years. The district has had a Black representative since 1963, when Gilbert W. Lindsay took office. As councilmember Curren Price finishes his tenure, the demographics of the council district have become predominantly Latino.
What neighborhoods encompass CD-9? The district is predominantly in South Central, including neighborhoods like Exposition Park, Vermont Square, and Green Meadows. It also includes a portion of Downtown L.A., such as the Los Angeles Convention Center and L.A. Live.
At what age should kids be independent?
When do you think kids can be independent?
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Jacob Wackerhausen
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iStockphoto
)
The topic:
Being a parent isn’t always easy – emergencies happen, and it can be tough to find a babysitter last minute. Maybe you get called into work, or have no one to pick up your kid from school. But at what age is it okay to leave your kids alone? Today on AirTalk, we want to hear from you about kids’ independence.
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14:05
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Larry talks with LAist listeners.
Factors with child care: According to the Washington Post, parents are paying for child care for children well into their tween years, spending a median cost of $3,000 per year. Of course, things like a lack of public transit and walkable neighborhoods can make it harder for kids to gain independence.
When it comes to the law: Just recently in Virginia, a five-year-old son walked to a neighborhood pond to collect goose feathers after the mother deemed him “capable” enough to be left alone, which led to her being charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. She’s appealing. There are no explicit laws in California on when you can leave your child alone, but maturity and medical issues should be taken into account.
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Today on AirTalk: SCOTUS to review mandatory detention policy, AI detectors, A Librarian's War, CNN gubernatorial debate, MLB postseason and TV Talk.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
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