California Passes AI Chatbot Safety Bill After Sam Altman Lobbies Gavin Newsom

California Passes Landmark AI Regulation Bills Protecting Children

California's Democratic-controlled Legislature passed 26 bills regulating AI and social media during the final week of their session, establishing what lawmakers call the broadest set of guardrails on AI chatbots in the nation2

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. The legislation, which now awaits Governor Gavin Newsom's signature, addresses growing concerns about AI chatbot safety and the protection of minors using these technologies. State Senator Steve Padilla framed the push as a response to federal inaction, stating that California is filling the regulatory void to protect children and prevent another repeat of the social media disaster2

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Senate Bill 1119: Adam's Law Sets New Standards

Senate Bill 1119, authored by Senator Steve Padilla along with assemblymembers Buffy Wicks and Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, requires AI companies to implement age verification, provide parental controls for limiting children's chatbot usage, and undergo independent audits1

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. The bill prohibits AI companies from serving ads to kids based on personal information collected from chatbot interactions and makes it illegal to sell data gathered from children's chats1

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. Named Adam's Law in honor of 16-year-old Adam Raine, who died by suicide in 2025 after discussing suicidal methods with ChatGPT, the measure would make companion chatbot operators analyze their products for potential harm to children and submit safety audits to the attorney general3

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Sam Altman's Lobbying Efforts Before Vote

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman attempted to contact Gavin Newsom last week regarding the legislation, according to reports from Politico1

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. The bill was amended on Friday with changes including narrowing situations when families could sue AI companies, though it remains unclear what role Altman may have played in securing these modifications1

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. A person familiar with the matter denied that the governor and OpenAI CEO spoke directly last week1

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. Despite the lobbying efforts, OpenAI publicly supported the legislation, releasing a statement encouraging Newsom to sign the bill into law1

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Comprehensive Tech Regulation Package

Beyond AI chatbot safety bills, California legislators passed measures banning social media companies from providing addictive features like autoplaying videos to users under 16 years old2

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. The liability rules for AI chatbots would hold social media platforms and AI chatbots financially accountable if they fail to protect children from harm2

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. Senate Bill 867 would prohibit for four years the sale and manufacturing of toys for children under 16 that include a companion chatbot3

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. Additional California bills address AI surveillance tools, banning employers from using AI products that collect neural data to recognize workers' emotional states, and requiring all California State University instructors to be human beings rather than AI bots2

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Political Implications and Industry Response

The legislation arrives as Newsom, who is term-limited and exits office on January 7, 2027, positions himself for a potential 2028 presidential run1

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. Long considered a friend of Silicon Valley, Newsom has recently taken a more populist turn on tech regulation as public sentiment sours on AI's unregulated development1

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. Both bills passed with strong bipartisan support despite opposition from business, software, and technology trade groups who warned that the independent audits could burden companies with repeated reviews3

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. OpenAI launched ChatGPT for Teens on August 18, introducing safeguards for users aged 13-17, automatically placing those who state their age in this range into a protected experience1

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. Newsom has until the end of September to decide whether to sign these measures into law, decisions that could establish California's framework as the national blueprint for regulating AI and social media companies2

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