Newsom orders new AI rules amid rapid industry growth
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed an executive order directing the development of artificial intelligence regulations within 120 days, aiming to strike a balance between protecting public safety and avoiding constraints on innovation, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
The order requires companies to demonstrate the safeguards built into their AI systems before state agencies are allowed to procure their services. It also allows the government to suspend or prohibit contracts with AI firms that violate civil liberties, including restricting freedom of speech or engaging in surveillance. In addition, Newsom has proposed introducing watermarks on AI-generated content to help curb the spread of misinformation.
Despite these intentions, there are concerns that state-level regulation of rapidly evolving AI technologies could lead to rules that quickly become outdated and potentially detrimental to consumers. AI systems have been advancing significantly every six to twelve months for several years, and this pace of development is expected to continue.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Gavin Newsom had criticized Israel’s leadership and had raised questions about the U.S. military partnership with the country during a public appearance in Los Angeles.
Newsom had also commented on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political situation, pointing to domestic legal challenges and an upcoming election in Israel.
“The issue of Bibi is interesting because he’s got his own domestic issues,” Newsom said. “He was trying to stay out of jail. He had an election coming up. He was potentially on the ropes.”
The California governor had previously criticized the decision by the U.S. administration to cooperate with Israel in military strikes against Iran and had argued that Washington should carefully assess the implications of deeper military involvement in the region. At the same time, he had said in earlier remarks that he supported Israel but disagreed with Netanyahu’s approach to the conflict.
Newsom, who was serving his second term as governor of California, was widely viewed as a prominent figure within the Democratic Party and was often mentioned among potential frontrunners for the party’s presidential nomination in the 2028 U.S. election. His comments had also drawn attention to how future U.S. leadership could shape Washington’s approach to its partnership with Israel.
As Qazinform News Agency reported earlier, in June the state of California sued President Trump over the deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles.