Sep 26, 2025 - Technology

California AI bill inches closer to the finish line

Ashley Gold

Photo illustration of California Governor Gavin Newsom with lines radiating from him. — Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photo: Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

California appears to be moving closer to enacting a major AI law that would mandate transparency measures from frontier AI companies.

Why it matters: Gov. Gavin Newsom has not definitively said whether he will sign the bill, SB 53 — but its momentum is strong, and if signed, the law would have major implications for the country's biggest AI names.

What they're saying: Speaking to Bill Clinton about AI at a Clinton Global Initiative event in New York on Wednesday, Newsom said that California "has a sense of responsibility and accountability to lead, so we support risk-taking, but not recklessness."

"We have a bill that's on my desk that we think strikes the right balance. And we worked with industry, but we didn't submit to industry. We're not doing things to them, but we're not doing things necessarily for them."

Newsom's office, when asked by Axios if the governor meant SB 53, said that he "did not specify which bill he was referencing."

"Beyond that, we don't typically comment on pending legislation," said Newsom spokesperson Tara Gallegos.

How it works: SB53, authored by state Sen. Scott Wiener, would require large AI developers to make public disclosures about safety protocols and for them to report safety incidents.

The legislation would also along create whistleblower protections and make cloud computing available for smaller developers and researchers.
Anthropic is the only major AI company to publicly support the bill.

What's next: Newsom has until Oct. 12 to sign or veto the legislation.

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California AI bill inches closer to the finish line

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