There’s a Long Petition to Protect California Workers from AI

Billionaire California gubernatorial representative Tom Steyer It presents a new concept that can ensure profitable projects displaced workers in artificial intelligence. He is the first in the entire state to make such a promise.

This system, which builds on AI Steyer’s main system was released in MarchHe promises to make California “the first economy in the world” to guarantee “well-paying” jobs for workers affected by AI. To do this, Steyer tells WIRED that he wants to build on earlier proposals to introduce a “tax” that would charge big tech companies “a small percentage of every piece of data processed” for AI. Money raised by the tax would go to what Steyer called the Golden State Sovereign Wealth Fund, with some of the money invested in housing, health care, and improving California’s infrastructure.

“The goal of this project will be to strengthen the economic base of the state, invest in our communities, and create a better and more attractive environment,” said a promotional letter for the campaign seen by WIRED. “To support this, Tom has also invested heavily in teaching and learning across the state.”

The new plan also seeks to expand unemployment insurance and establish a new organization called the AI ​​Worker Protection Administration (AIWPA) that would include union leaders, academics, and professionals who would enforce laws to protect workers’ rights, the memo says.

“People across the state are scared that AI is going to destroy this whole economy and they’re going to lose their jobs. Young people are worried that they’re going to lose their jobs,” Steyer told WIRED. “We believe this can be a revolutionary technology in many ways, but we are not in the business of leaving people in California.”

The confirmation of Steyer’s work comes as state and federal lawmakers — as well as other AI officials — scramble to address the challenges of adopting AI in the U.S. workforce. In New Jersey, state senator Troy Singleton recently introduced legislation that would require AI-powered companies to provide financial support. pay to retrain their employees. In Congress, there is several ideas for grants and tax credits for companies to provide AI training to existing employees.

Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, has previously expressed the idea of ​​a token tax that is now proposed by Steyer. “Obviously, this is not in my financial interest,” Amodei said he told Axios last year. “But I think this would be a reasonable solution to the problem.” Last month, OpenAI made a similar offer fund of human resources to Steyer’s output.

Steyer’s announcement comes days after top Democratic challenger Xavier Becerra — the former secretary of Health and Human Services under President Joe Biden — issued a response. your AI plans. In that sense, Becerra wants to “save money for workers and help change,” but he doesn’t offer a specific way to raise money.

“Moving without help is abandonment,” Becerra said memo on Monday explaining his plan. “I will work with the Legislature, California’s public education and industry partners to develop accessible, sustainable programs that prepare Californians for the AI ​​economy and support the workforce in the transition.”

In the past few months, the White House has threatened to go after countries that choose to regulate AI. In December, President Donald Trump signed an executive order which could claw back federal funds from states that adopt “hard” AI laws. This is also happening in local races: In New York, a high-profile PAC backed by several powerful Silicon Valley groups, including OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman, is he is fighting Alex Boresa Manhattan congressman who has made AI legislation the centerpiece of his campaign.

“Not controlling AI doesn’t seem right,” says Steyer. “But if California wants to lead, we need to have a vision for the future that includes something that doesn’t just let businessmen get rich at the expense of everyone else.”