Newsom Signs McNerney’s Landmark Bill to Assess Artificial Intelligence Safety Risks

Gov. Gavin Newsom today signed Sen. Jerry McNerney’s SB 813, establishing a first-in-the-nation framework for independent, third-party assessments of potential safety risks posed by artificial intelligence systems.

“AI has the potential to improve our lives, but without effective guardrails, it poses significant risks. Just this week we learned that the most powerful AI systems teamed with AI agents pose real threats to humanity,” said Sen. McNerney, D-Pleasanton. “Gov. Newsom’s signing of SB 813 sends a clear message that California is taking the lead on assessing AI’s safety risks, since Washington, D.C., is unable or unwilling to do so. This landmark law codifies one of the primary recommendations of the governor’s blue-ribbon panel on AI by establishing independent, third-party evaluations of artificial intelligence to help ensure that the technology remains safe and beneficial.”

SB 813 is the first such AI safety law in the nation, and it takes effect Jan. 1. It implements a voluntary flexible framework under the direction of the Government Operations Agency to:

• Establish Independent Verification Organizations (IVOs) to provide independent assessments of AI systems and models;
• Create requirements for IVOs to ensure they have appropriate expertise, use credible methodologies, and remain independent from the entities they assess;
• Convene working groups to solicit stakeholder input in the identification of AI safety standards;
• Identifies effective approaches for evaluating AI systems.

For more on SB 813, go here.

Sen. Jerry McNerney is chair of the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee, and his 5th Senate District includes all of San Joaquin County and Alameda County’s Tri-Valley.