California's Gavin Newsom signs new executive order on AI risks

The state’s first step toward understanding how to govern AI

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Wednesday an executive order to study the development, use, and risks of generative artificial intelligence.

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Under the order, state agencies are tasked with identifying “the most significant and beneficial uses of GenAI in the state” and developing frameworks to train state employees on how to use “state-approved” generative AI tools.

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The agencies will also analyze potential negative impacts of the technology, including its effect on vulnerable communities and threats to “critical energy infrastructure” in California.

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“This is a potentially transformative technology – comparable to the advent of the internet – and we’re only scratching the surface of understanding what GenAI is capable of,” Newsom said in a statement.“We recognize both the potential benefits and risks these tools enable.”

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The California order comes after President Joe Biden discussed the future of AI technology with Newsom and a collective of tech leaders from the Silicon Valley during his visit to the Bay Area in June.

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