Governor Newsom Signs SB 53 to Advance California’s AI Industry Date: September 29, 2025 Location: Sacramento, California --- Overview Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 53, the Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act (TFAIA), authored by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), solidifying California’s leadership in safe, secure, and trustworthy artificial intelligence (AI). This legislation: Enhances online safety with commonsense guardrails. Strikes a balance between protecting public safety and fostering AI innovation. Builds on recommendations from California’s first-in-the-nation AI report. --- Key Highlights Governor Newsom's Statement California can regulate AI to protect communities while letting the industry thrive. The legislation is the nation's first frontier AI safety law. Supports public trust as AI rapidly evolves. Senator Scott Wiener's Statement AI is transformative; innovation must be supported alongside risk reduction. Thanks the Governor for leadership and working with the Joint California AI Policy Working Group. The law promotes innovation, fairness, accountability, and trust in AI. Expert Endorsements The bill aligns with recommendations from leading AI academics and experts convened by Governor Newsom. Emphasizes transparency, evidence-based policymaking, and regulation balance. Fills the federal government’s policy gap on AI. --- California’s AI Dominance Home to 32 of the world's top 50 AI companies. Leads the U.S. in AI talent demand (15.7% of U.S. AI job postings in 2024). Over half of global VC funding for AI/ML startups went to the Bay Area. Headquarters for Google, Apple, and Nvidia—three companies valued at over $3 trillion and heavily involved in AI. --- What SB 53 Does SB 53 establishes requirements that strengthen: ✅ Transparency: AI developers must publish frameworks showing adherence to national/international standards and best practices. ✅ Innovation: Creates CalCompute, a consortium under the Government Operations Agency, fostering research and safe AI development via a public computing cluster. ✅ Safety: Establishes a reporting mechanism for potential AI-related critical safety incidents to California’s Office of Emergency Services. ✅ Accountability: Protects whistleblowers reporting significant AI health and safety risks, with civil penalties for noncompliance enforced by the Attorney General. ✅ Responsiveness: The California Department of Technology will annually recommend updates based on stakeholder input, new technologies, and international standards. --- Background The bill follows a landmark report released earlier in 2025 by AI experts and academics, commissioned by Governor Newsom. This report recommended sensible guardrails for frontier AI models, focusing on transparency and mitigating risks. SB 53 serves as a model for AI governance and addresses the lack of federal policies. --- Additional Resources Signing Message PDF Related news and initiatives can be found at the Governor’s Newsroom. --- Related News (Recent Headlines) California Men’s Service Challenge allocates $5 million for paid service opportunities. Deployment of California resources to East Coast ahead of Atlantic storms. Predeployment of fire and rescue resources in anticipation of hazards in California. --- California continues to position itself at the forefront of AI innovation while pioneering responsible technology governance that prioritizes public safety, transparency, and ethical development.