California Governor Acts on AI Workforce Disruption as Silicon Valley Sheds 114,000 Jobs
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a “first-in-the-nation executive order” on Thursday to tackle artificial intelligence (AI) workforce disruption. The order directs California to prepare workers, small businesses, and communities for economic impact from AI. What the California Governors Order Covers The order convenes a broad group of universities, economists, labor specialists, state agencies, and industry executives. They will draft new policies and track signals of where AI is cutting jobs. The goal is to help California workers, not just tech firms, share in AIs productivity gains. The policy menu includes new severance rules, employment insurance, and transition payments for displaced workers. Other ideas under study include worker-owned company structures, universal basic capital programs, and broader job training. The order also seeks better hiring and payroll data so the state can spot layoff trends sooner. “California has never sat back and watched as the future happened to us… Today is just the first step as we rewrite policy and direction, creating a future of work that works for all,” Newsom said. I just signed a first-of-its-kind executive order to empower workers impacted by AI. California will pursue new policies that make sure working Californians — not just Big Tech — benefit from the wealth and breakthroughs coming out








