Gov. Gavin Newsom to Sign Executive Order Aimed at A.I. Job Loss
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order directing state agencies to collaborate with academics, labor groups, and the AI industry to study ways to subsidize companies that retain employees instead of replacing them with AI technology.
- The order emphasizes expanding job training programs for white-collar workers such as customer service representatives, software developers, and marketing professionals, whose jobs are at high risk of elimination due to AI.
- Newsom also called for an exploration of universal basic capital, a concept that would provide all residents with ownership stakes in assets like corporate stocks or wealth funds.
- The governor highlighted that traditional safety nets like unemployment insurance are insufficient for the rapid employment changes AI may bring, urging a comprehensive reimagining of work, governance, and workforce preparation.
- This executive order is the first of its kind by a U.S. governor and reflects growing global concerns about AI-driven job displacement and the need for proactive measures to support affected workers.