GoKawiilSam Altman personally lobbied Newsom against California AI chatbot safety bill
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reportedly attempted to influence California Governor Gavin Newsom before state lawmakers passed a bill regulating how AI chatbots interact with minors. The legislation, aimed at establishing safety guardrails for children's use of companion chatbots, has cleared the legislature but still awaits Newsom's signature to become law.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
California often sets precedent for tech regulation that spreads nationally, so this bill could become a de facto standard for chatbot safety even outside the state. Altman's direct lobbying effort underscores how seriously AI companies view the stakes of child-safety rules that could shape product design and liability across the industry.
- Sam Altman lobbied Governor Newsom before California's kids' AI chatbot safety bill passed.
- The bill would regulate how AI chatbots interact with minors and could become a national benchmark.
- Newsom has not yet signed the legislation, leaving its final fate undecided.
Source: gizmodo.com, 2026-09-01
Published there as: “Sam Altman Tried to Lobby Gavin Newsom Before Kids’ AI Chatbot Safety Bill Passed”
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