California Increases Deployment of Generative AI to Enhance State Services
California is reaffirming its dedication to technology, as Governor Gavin Newsom reveals new initiatives focused on incorporating generative AI into essential sectors of state government. These actions are part of a larger effort to boost efficiency and modernize public services.
The announcement comes on the heels of Newsom’s executive order regarding artificial intelligence, which instructed state agencies to investigate and adopt AI tools to optimize operations. As a facet of this directive, California has established three new agreements to implement generative AI technologies in fields such as transportation, public safety, and customer service.
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will leverage Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI platform to assess traffic data, aiming to alleviate congestion, enhance emergency response times, and boost transit dependability. Furthermore, under a contract with Deloitte Consulting, Caltrans will also employ Google’s Gemini AI to assist in preventing traffic incidents and suggesting safety enhancements.
Concurrently, the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) will empower its call center personnel with Anthropic’s Claude AI assistant. This comes after a successful pilot program that showcased the AI’s capacity to reduce customer call durations and enhance service efficiency.
“GenAI is now a reality, and its significance grows daily,” stated Governor Newsom. “We recognize that state government can operate more effectively, and as the origin of tech innovation, it is fitting that California takes the lead in this domain. In the Golden State, we understand that efficiency transcends merely cutting services to save funds — it involves developing and refining our state government to better serve all Californians.”
This recent initiative builds on prior collaborations, including a partnership with Nvidia aimed at providing AI training and education to students and workers throughout the state. Newsom underscored that the integration of AI is not designed to displace public employees but to augment their capabilities. The state is collaborating with SEIU Local 1000, the union representing California state workers, to ensure that AI tools are employed to enhance — not eradicate — jobs.
Nevertheless, California’s swift adoption of AI has encountered some backlash. Earlier this year, the state faced scrutiny for using generative AI to draft sections of the California Bar Exam, igniting discussions among legal professionals and educators.
Looking forward, the state intends to broaden its application of AI to more sectors, including housing, workforce development, and legislative bill analysis, as part of the forthcoming phase of its AI strategy.