An executive order is a directive a governor puts into effect without a legislative vote. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued one aimed at reining in artificial intelligence. His stated reasoning: act before it is too late.
Newsom is among a group of Democrats positioning themselves for a 2028 presidential run. He and others in that group have called for a more aggressive approach to artificial intelligence, citing what they describe as fears about the technology.
What Newsom signed is an executive order. What he and the broader 2028 Democratic field have argued for is a harder line on AI across the board. The order is the concrete action on the books. The calls for more aggressive policy are, at this point, positions.