OpenAI urges California to enhance newly enacted AI safety legislation

OpenAI is advocating for California lawmakers to enhance the state’s groundbreaking artificial intelligence safety legislation, known as the Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act (SB 53), just months after the company supported its enactment. This push follows a detailed statement from OpenAI’s Global Affairs team via a media source, where the organization expressed its desire for amendments that would fortify the existing framework.

Initially signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in September 2025, SB 53 was already recognized as a significant legislative achievement. The law mandates that major developers of frontier AI systems publish comprehensive safety frameworks. Additionally, it establishes a formal channel for reporting critical safety incidents to the California Office of Emergency Services, offers protections for whistleblowers, and empowers the state Attorney General to impose civil penalties on companies that fail to comply.

Now, OpenAI is urging for stricter measures to be incorporated into SB 53, advocating for requirements that would ensure rigorous monitoring of frontier AI systems during both training and evaluation phases. The company’s concerns center on the potential risks of these AI models circumventing security protocols or accessing sensitive information improperly. Furthermore, OpenAI is calling for heightened cybersecurity measures throughout the development process, aimed at preventing AI systems from evading their built-in safeguards.

This call for enhanced regulation is not merely a response to specific incidents but rather part of a broader strategy that OpenAI terms “reverse federalism.” This approach reflects the company’s belief that while federal legislative efforts on AI regulation remain stagnant, states like California can take the initiative in establishing robust safety standards that may eventually inform national policy.

The California law already included provisions to reevaluate the legislation annually, adapting to technological advancements. OpenAI’s proposal seeks to build upon this foundation, aspiring to create a proactive framework that can preemptively address potential issues and foster an ecosystem where lessons learned are shared across the industry.

As concerns over AI safety and ethics grow, California’s role as a leader in shaping AI governance continues to evolve, highlighting the state’s influence in establishing standards that could reverberate nationwide.

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