Governor Newsom Signs First-in-the-Nation Law Regulating Attorneys’ AI Use

Last month, we shared that California was the first state to pass legislation regulating attorneys’ use of generative AI with Senate Bill 574. The enrolled bill was presented to Governor Gavin Newsom (D) and he had until September 30th to sign or veto SB 574. Yesterday saw a flurry of activity as Governor Newsom signed several first-in-the-nation AI laws, including SB 574, to create an AI safety framework that protects workers and consumers. With the signing of these laws, California emerges as the leader in states’ efforts to create stronger safeguards and accountability measures around the use of generative AI. It remains to be seen whether states will follow California’s lead and introduce similar legislation during the upcoming 2027 legislative sessions.