California cements its role as the national testing ground for AI rules

To see where tech policy is going in the U.S., look west: California is escalating its push to regulate AI across multiple fronts. Gov Gavin Newsom (D-CA) recently signed an AI executive order as state legislators advance a number of AI bills and consider other regulatory avenues for AI. California is moving ahead as the Trump administration pushes for a national AI standard that would preempt nearly all state-level AI laws. Gov Newsom's AI order aims to "raise the bar for AI companies seeking to do business with the state," per the announcement, and makes procurement standards stronger. The state will develop a plan for contracting best practices requiring companies to explain their policies on distribution of illegal content, model bias, and violation of civil rights and free speech.