California Governor Signed AI Safety Executive Order
Governor Gavin Newsom has ordered an expert panel to accelerate the implementation of state AI security legislation.
Updated on Sept. 18, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence
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Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order to expedite the enforcement of AI safety laws SB 813 and AB 1405. The action comes after the state enacted these regulatory measures in September 2026.
Why it matters
The mandate reflects an effort by the state to fill a gap in AI oversight caused by federal inaction. It forces an immediate acceleration of the regulatory framework established by recent legislation.
The order accelerates the implementation timeline for SB 813 and AB 1405, which mandate new evaluation protocols for AI safety. Experts must now deliver recommendations within a two-month window to guide the state's security standards.
The players
Gavin Newsom
The Governor of California who is steering state-level regulatory policy for artificial intelligence.
Scott Wiener
A California state senator who focuses on legislation regarding AI safety and technology regulation.
The details
The executive order functions as an administrative bypass to speed up the rollout of SB 813 and AB 1405. These laws require independent groups to perform standardized AI safety evaluations, ensuring that large-scale models meet specific performance criteria before deployment. The newly convened expert panel will provide guidance on how to technically enforce these safety benchmarks at the state level.
Timeline
2024: Newsom vetoed a previous AI safety and kill switch bill.
2025: Newsom signed SB 53 into law.
September 2026: Newsom signed SB 813, AB 1405, and the executive order.
Within two months: Experts must provide recommendations on strengthening AI laws.
The Tech Race
This development follows the 2024 California AI safety and kill switch bill, which was previously vetoed by the governor. It indicates a pivot in state strategy toward establishing binding technical standards that differentiate California's oversight from current federal policies.
The order changes the timeline for compliance for developers and firms operating in the state, as safety evaluation requirements are now being accelerated. Businesses will need to prepare for stricter AI safety protocols sooner than originally scheduled under the previously enacted laws.
The takeaway
California is aggressively moving to define the technical requirements for AI safety independent of the federal government. Watch for the expert panel's forthcoming recommendations, which will likely define the enforcement mechanisms that companies must satisfy to operate within the state.
What happens next
The expert panel is expected to present its formal safety recommendations to the state within two months of the order's signing.
Further reading
For more on the state's regulatory trajectory, see Artificial Intelligence.
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