California DOJ says MOU with OpenAI secures commitments on mission, child safety and continued operations in state

California Attorney General Rob Bonta said his office reached a memorandum of understanding with OpenAI after about a year and a half of investigation and negotiations. The MOU, Bonta said, includes commitments on governance and safety and gives the California Department of Justice an ongoing oversight role to help ensure adherence to the charity-like mission OpenAI had represented.

"We entered into an MOU late last night, with them, that had major concessions on their part in our view that help them adhere to their mission going forward, ensure safety, including the safety of children going forward," Bonta said. He added that the MOU includes notice provisions for any change in board control or mission and a commitment from OpenAI to continue operating in California.

Bonta described the state's oversight role as ongoing, focused on ensuring OpenAI "adhere to their nonprofit mission" and meet safety commitments, including protections for children. He said more details are available in the MOU but did not list contract text or specific enforcement mechanisms at the press conference.

The attorney general framed this work as part of the DOJ's charitable-organization oversight: "This is our nexus as the California DOJ. We oversee charitable organizations," he said, and noted the state will remain vigilant in enforcing MOU terms and safety commitments.

Questions at the press conference did not elicit the full MOU text; Bonta said more details would follow. The MOU was described as negotiated and signed the night before the press conference.