California — Executive Order N-5-26 - Trusted AI Procurement
California · Executive Order N-5-26 - Trusted AI Procurement
This newer California executive order directs DGS and CDT to develop trust-and-safety certifications for state AI contracting (covering CSAM/NCII, harmful bias, and civil-rights violations), reforms to bar contracting with entities that unlawfully undermine privacy or civil liberties, and CDT guidance on watermarking AI-generated media.
Technical detail
This newer California executive order directs DGS and CDT to develop trust-and-safety certifications for state AI contracting (covering CSAM/NCII, harmful bias, and civil-rights violations), reforms to bar contracting with entities that unlawfully undermine privacy or civil liberties, and CDT guidance on watermarking AI-generated media.
Who is protected: Residents interacting with state government AI systems; public-sector data subjects.
Who must comply: California state agencies and departments, and vendors seeking to contract with or sell AI to the State
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | California |
|---|---|
| Level | State |
| Status | In effect |
| Protection strength | Limited protection |
| Effective date | 2026-03-30 |
| Citation | Executive Order N-5-26 - Trusted AI Procurement |
| Topics | government use of AI · automated decision-making · biometric data · consumer data privacy · AI disclosure and transparency |
| Last verified | 2026-07-01 |
| Official source | Executive Order N-5-26 (Governor Gavin Newsom, State of California) ↗ |
More AI rules in California
- CA EO N-6-26 (AI Workforce) · In effect
- California AB 489 (AI healthcare chatbot misrepresentation ban) · In effect
- X.AI v. Bonta (AB 2013 training-data disclosure) · Blocked / in litigation
- CA SB 1298 (2012 AV authorization) · In effect
- CA AB 856 (2015 drone trespass) · In effect
- California Bot Disclosure Act (bots must self-identify in sales/election messaging) · In effect
Related government use of AI rules elsewhere
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Arkansas public entity AI/ADS policy mandate (Act 848, 2025) · In effect
- One-year moratorium on data center development (Inver Grove Heights MN) · In effect
- FERC order directing PJM and other grid operators to reform · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- San Marcos citywide data center ban (Land Use Matrix amendme · In effect
- Washington County (MD) 12-month data center moratorium · Enacted (not yet in effect)
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