California enacts worker protections against AI workplace risks

California Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday signed a series of laws designed to protect workers from risks associated with artificial intelligence deployment in the workplace. The legislation addresses concerns about potential job losses and increased workplace surveillance as companies increasingly adopt AI technologies.

Newsom also issued an executive order directing state agencies to consistently use the term "artificial intelligence" rather than alternative terminology recently promoted by the federal government. "AI should expand opportunity - not come at the expense of workers and families," Newsom said in a statement. "As this technology reshapes the workplace, California is putting people at the centre."

The governor used the occasion to criticize the federal government's approach to AI regulation, noting the absence of comprehensive national safeguards at a time when technology industry leaders themselves are raising concerns about the risks posed by advanced AI systems. The Trump administration has instead encouraged major tech companies to adopt voluntary self-regulatory measures for responsible AI development.

California's legislative action represents an escalation in state-level efforts to regulate artificial intelligence amid a broader policy vacuum at the federal level. The measures underscore growing momentum among state governments to establish worker protections and transparency requirements as AI adoption accelerates across sectors of the economy.