Newsom wants to shape AI's future. Can California lead the way?

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday signed an executive order directing state agencies to examine the benefits and risks of artificial intelligence that can generate text, images and other content. The executive order sets the stage for potential regulation around what's known as generative AI technology, which has already raised concerns about misinformation, plagiarism, bias and child safety. The governor and California lawmakers thus far have been cautious about regulating technology they might not fully understand and hindering business innovations that fuel the state's economy. "We recognize both the potential benefits and risks these tools enable. We're neither frozen by the fears nor hypnotized by the upside," Newsom said in a statement.