Gov. Gavin Newsom said the initiative is intended to improve how government employees work rather than replace them. “AI should not replace the human work of government; it should help our workers move faster, solve problems more effectively, and deliver better results for Californians,” Newsom said in a statement.
The state said Claude is already being used by several departments. Existing applications include customer service improvements at the Department of Motor Vehicles, internal workflow support at the California Department of Health Care Services, cybersecurity efforts led by the Department of Technology, and the state’s digital assistant, Poppy. Claude also supports a public engagement platform used to collect residents’ views on AI and the future of work.
Anthropic said the agreement reflects its approach to deploying artificial intelligence in public services. “Building AI responsibly and in service of people has been our approach from the start, and that’s exactly what this partnership puts into practice,” said Kate Jensen, Anthropic’s head of Americas.
California did not disclose the total cost of the agreement or estimate potential savings from adopting Claude more broadly across government agencies.
According to the state, the partnership is part of a broader effort to expand the use of artificial intelligence while monitoring its effects on workers. Newsom has issued executive orders aimed at improving government services with generative AI while also directing state agencies to prepare for potential AI-related workforce disruption. Last week, the administration introduced a tool to track AI-related job losses across California.
The state also indicated that it plans to pursue similar discount agreements with additional AI providers. California invited AI model developers to negotiate statewide contracts in December as part of its effort to secure lower pricing and broader access for public agencies.
This analysis is based on reporting from CBS News.
Image courtesy of Unsplash.
This article was generated with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy and quality.
