California is piecing together its own AI legislation

California Governor Newsom signed AI transparency and child protection legislation earlier this week, as California continues to advance AI regulation on its own while federal efforts stall. The 2025 California AI Transparency Act, pushed by the author's California Initiative for Technology and Democracy, requires large social platforms, messaging apps, and search engines to identify AI-generated content, and requires phone and camera manufacturers to allow users to embed digital provenance data; Senator Scott Wiener's SB 53 sets basic safety and transparency standards for the most powerful AI systems and protects whistleblowers who disclose safety issues. Other laws target AI chatbots that induce minors to self-harm, require social platforms to add mental health warnings, and clarify that companies cannot waive liability for their algorithms or amplification of harassment. The author notes that California has not yet completed legislation on precise geolocation data protection, algorithmic fairness assessments, and financial accountability for platforms that harm children, and the 2026 session needs to continue advancing these.