California Governor Gavin Newsom signs laws to protect workers from AI risks

SACRAMENTO, California (AP) — California Governor Gavin Newsom signed laws Wednesday aimed at protecting workers from the threats of artificial intelligence, including potential job losses and workplace surveillance.

The laws ban employers from using the technology to predict a worker’s emotional state by using their biometric data, require employers to send written notices to workers if AI is responsible for mass layoffs and ban employers from relying on AI to decide to fire someone.

The Democratic governor also signed an executive order to require state agencies to continue to refer to the technology as “artificial intelligence” instead of the term “ super intelligence ” President Donald Trump recently ordered US diplomats to use.