Governor Gavin Newsom signed a collection of new laws banning employers from basing termination decisions solely on artificial intelligence systems. Furthermore, the new legislation explicitly prohibits the use of AI for monitoring employees within workplace bathrooms.
The measures also mandate that companies must inform workers if artificial intelligence caused any job reductions. These laws aim to restrict workplace monitoring tools, such as heat maps that track staff movements.
The laws also forbid employers from using technology to predict an individual's emotional state by analysing their biometric data. Lorena Gonzalez, president of the California Federation of Labor Unions, AFL-CIO, stated, “It’s really the first time we’re seeing California workers showing the country that we don’t have to accept [this].”
The bills, however, lack private enforcement mechanisms, meaning only the government can enforce the new rules, according to Robin Feldman, director and founder of AI Law & Innovation Institute at The University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. On a separate note, the governor signed an executive order requiring state agencies to continue using the term “artificial intelligence” rather than “super intelligence.”
Additionally, the governor signed a law requiring operators of AI chatbots to conduct risk assessments before deploying them. The governor also issued an executive order directing the state to consult with experts to improve oversight of the industry.
