California Governor Mobilizes Expert Panel to Strengthen AI Safety Laws

California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order Friday (Sept. 18) that will convene national experts to provide a guide for the state to reinforce and strengthen its laws covering artificial intelligence safety and security, the governor’s office said in a Friday press release.

The executive order is meant to accelerate the implementation of new third-party oversight of safety and security risks in AI systems, and it calls on the group of experts to deliver their guide within two months, according to the release.

Proposals under consideration include requiring frontier AI companies to embed an independent verification organization onsite in their labs to conduct audits and evaluations; requiring that the AI safety frameworks, transparency reports and risk assessments that frontier AI companies are required to file under California law are verified; advancing the creation of a “kill switch” for frontier models; and updating definitions of critical safety incidents to include loss-of-control incidents, the release said.

California already has laws covering frontier model safety, independent oversight, children and companion chatbots, privacy, deepfakes, fraud, cybersecurity, workers and government deployment, per the release.

“The federal government’s abject failure to create any form of meaningful AI oversight or accountability should alarm every American, especially when AI CEOs themselves are begging for regulation,” Newsom said in the release. “We’re not waiting to act; we’re going to speed up our work on substantial and responsible AI oversight before it’s too late.”

PYMNTS reported Sept. 11 that Newsom signed two bills that California described as the nation’s first framework for independent AI verification organizations and auditors, as well as a companion chatbot law that makes independent auditing part of the product safety process.

In May, Newsom signed an executive order directing state agencies to prepare workers, communities and small businesses for the economic and labor disruptions anticipated from the rapid advancement of AI.

In October, Newsom signed a bill intended to protect children and vulnerable users from harms associated with AI chatbots. It was reported that this made California the first state to regulate these virtual companions.

Newsom said in October: “Emerging technology like chatbots and social media can inspire, educate and connect, but without real guardrails, technology can also exploit, mislead and endanger our kids.”

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