California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed into law Senate Bill 53 (SB 53), a landmark piece of legislation that requires the world’s largest artificial intelligence companies to publicly disclose their safety practices and report critical incidents. The move represents the state’s most significant step toward regulating AI while preserving its reputation as a global hub for technological innovation.
“With a technology as transformative as AI, we have a responsibility to support that innovation while putting in place commonsense guardrails,” said State Senator Scott Wiener, the bill’s sponsor.
The legislation is the second attempt by Wiener to introduce AI safety regulations, following Governor Newsom’s earlier veto of SB 1047 amid pushback from the tech industry. SB 53 also comes in the wake of federal resistance during the Trump administration, which argued that state-level AI rules could stifle innovation and weaken the U.S. in its competition with China.
Under the new law, AI developers must publish redacted versions of their safety and security protocols to balance transparency with protection of intellectual property. Companies are also required to report significant safety incidents—such as model-enabled weapons threats, major cyberattacks, or cases of loss of control—within 15 days of discovery.
To strengthen accountability, the law includes whistleblower protections for employees who expose violations or safety risks. Unlike the European Union’s AI Act, which mandates confidential reporting to government agencies, California’s approach emphasizes public disclosure, ensuring broader visibility into how companies address AI risks.
In a world-first measure, SB 53 compels companies to disclose cases where AI systems demonstrate dangerous deceptive behavior during testing. For example, if an AI model conceals its ability to bypass safeguards intended to prevent bioweapon development, and that deception significantly raises the risk of catastrophic harm, it must be reported.
The bill’s framework was shaped by a working group of leading experts, including Stanford University’s Fei-Fei Li, often referred to as the “godmother of AI.” Advocates argue the law sets a global precedent for AI governance, combining innovation support with rigorous oversight in a sector where risks are rapidly evolving.
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