California Governor Newsom issues executive order on AI to spur dialogue and address harms

What happened

Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order calling for a thoughtful conversation about artificial intelligence and its potential harms. The order supports expanding reporting requirements under SB 53 (2025) for loss‑of‑control incidents and calls for third‑party investigations, especially for smaller developers. It also cautions against government‑controlled kill switches that could be used to retaliate against protected speech.

Why it matters for trust and compliance

• Its status is announced. It is not law yet. Track it, but do not treat it as an obligation.
• The order signals California’s intent to shape AI policy, impacting algorithmic decision‑making, privacy and cybersecurity practices.

Who is affected

Recommended actions

1. Check that privacy notices describe the practices this addresses.
2. Map the security requirements to existing controls and close gaps.
3. Inventory AI or automated decision systems in scope and their assessments.