Gavin Newsom signs bill regulating AI, social media and chatbots for children

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a package of bills on Wednesday imposing new rules on artificial intelligence systems and on how children use social media and AI chatbots. The legislation includes two AI safety measures that require outside groups to evaluate AI systems for safety, a framework publicly backed by OpenAI and Anthropic. Separate provisions target youth use of social media platforms and the design of AI chatbots that interact with minors, with the stated aim of protecting children online. The signing came during a week in which the public exit of a former Anthropic and OpenAI researcher intensified debate over the risks of advanced AI. Outlets including Breitbart, The Guardian, Engadget and KTLA all reported the signings, with Engadget describing the laws as 'landmark.' The measures make California the most prominent US state to pair AI safety evaluation requirements with child-focused social media and chatbot regulation.

Global Impact

Political: California's move sets a state-level template that could pressure other US states and federal lawmakers to act, and it strengthens the US position ahead of international AI governance talks. Industry-specific: AI developers and social platforms face new evaluation and design obligations, raising costs but also legitimizing safety auditing as a market.