<!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ --></p> <p>from <a href=""https://calmatters.org/author/khari-johnson/"" title=""Posts" by="" khari="" johnson="" class=""author" url="" fn="" rel=""author"">Harry Johnson</a>CalMatters</p> <figure> <img decoding="async" width=""1200"" height=""800"" src=""https://i0.wp.com/calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/051426_May-Budget-Revise_MG_CM_10.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1"" class=""attachment-post-thumbnail" size-post-thumbnail="" wp-post-image="" alt="""" decoding=""async"" loading=""lazy"" srcset=""https://i0.wp.com/calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/051426_May-Budget-Revise_MG_CM_10.jpg?w=2000&ssl=1" https:="" sizes=""auto,"/><figcaption>Governor Gavin Newsom issued an AI executive order to find ways to mitigate the technology’s impact on workers. Newsom at a news conference on his revised 2026-27 budget in Sacramento on May 14, 2026. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters</figcaption></figure> <p>This story was originally published by <a href=""https://calmatters.org/"">CalMatters</a>. <a href=""https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/"">Sign up</a> for their newsletters.</p> <p>Amid tech cutbacks, anxiety over artificial intelligence and a looming run for president, Gov. Gavin Newsom today <a href=""https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/5.21.26-AI-Workforce-EO-FINAL-SIGNED.pdf"">has signed an executive order</a> which calls on government agencies to explore ways to mitigate job losses resulting from the use of AI.</p> <p>The order, among other things, requires a report on the impact of AI on California’s labor market and ways to help displaced workers, including through compensation and subsidized employment policies. </p> <p>It also calls for increased job training, stock compensation and cooperative worker ownership, and a review of how unions negotiate on AI.</p> <p>Newsom earlier <a href=""https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/04/newsom-moves-for-california-ai-startups/"">signed executive orders last month and in 2023</a> at the same time, AI protections are being introduced and government agencies are being encouraged to use the technology. </p> <p>The latest order comes a day after Facebook owner Meta laid off 8,000 employees, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg citing AI in a memo to staff following the layoffs. It also comes two days after the California Senate passed <a href=""https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb947"">Law without robo bosses</a>which prevents businesses from using decisions made by AI and other automated systems as the sole reason for firing or disciplining a person. Newsom <a href=""https://calmatters.org/explainers/california-gavin-newsom-bills-signing/"">vetoed such a bill</a> last fall. </p> <p>In February, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, members of the California Federation of Labor and labor leaders in Democratic primary states pledged to <a href=""https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2026/02/newsom-needs-more-ai-regulation-to-be-president-say-unions/"">withdraw support for Newsom’s 2028 presidential campaign if he doesn’t take steps to protect workers from artificial intelligence</a>. Newsom’s veto of the predecessor to the No Robo Bosses Act was cited as the reason for this pledge.</p> <p>This article was <a href=""https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2026/05/california-ai-layoffs-order/"">originally published on CalMatters</a> and is republished under <a href=""https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/"">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives</a> license.</p> <p> Copy the HTML
