California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the country's first artificial intelligence law Monday, forcing big tech firms to reveal their risks and safety protocols.

Sept. 29 (UPI) -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday signed the country's first artificial intelligence law that will force big tech firms, including ChatGPT-maker Open AI, to reveal their safety protocols and "protect our communities."

Senate Bill 53 -- the Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act, which was drafted by Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco and passed with a bipartisan vote in the California Legislature -- also protects whistleblowers and requires critical safety incidents to be reported.

"With a technology as transformative as AI, we have a responsibility to support that innovation while putting in place commonsense guardrails to understand and reduce risk," said Wiener. "With this law, California is stepping up, once again, as a global leader on both technology innovation and safety."

The new law requires safety and security transparency, forcing companies to disclose their risks and safety protocols or face civil penalties. It requires companies report safety incidents, including cyber attacks, within 15 days. And it protects workers who reveal violations.

"California has proven that we can establish regulations to protect our communities while also ensuring that the growing AI industry continues to thrive. This legislation strikes that balance," Newsom said in a statement.

Gov. Newsom convened the Joint California Policy Working Group on AI Frontier Models in September 2024, after vetoing Wiener's SB 1047. Newsom urged the group to "help California develop workable guardrails for deploying GenAI, focusing on developing on empirical, science-based trajectory analysis of frontier models and their capabilities and attendant risks."

The group released its final report in June, along with recommendations to build a "trust, but verify" framework for AI in order to reduce risks while still supporting innovation.

"By signing SB 53 into law, Gov. Newsom recognizes that the tremendous innovative power of AI should benefit all of us, not just a handful of tech corporations and their investors," said Teri Olle, director of Economic Security California Action.

Meta said Monday it also "supports balanced AI regulation."

"We look forward to continuing to work with California lawmakers to ensure AI regulations protect consumers and society while fueling innovation and economic growth in the state and across the United States," said Meta spokesperson Christopher Sgro.

Other states are considering similar legislation, including New York where state lawmakers passed an AI measure in June. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has not signed it yet.

"AI is the new frontier in innovation, and California is not only here for it, but stands strong as a national leader," Newsom said, "by enacting the first-in-the-nation frontier AI safety legislation that builds public trust as this emerging technology rapidly evolves."