There is a long-standing proposal to protect workers in California from artificial intelligence

Billionaire California Governor candidate Tom Steyer He is putting forward a new proposal that would guarantee jobs with benefits Displaced workers by artificial intelligence. He is the first statewide candidate to make such a pledge.

The plan, which builds on a broader Steyr AI policy framework Released in Marchpromises to make California “the first major economy in the world” to guarantee “good-paying” jobs for workers affected by artificial intelligence. To do this, Steyer told WIRED he plans to build off an earlier proposal to introduce a “token tax” that would tax big tech companies “a fraction of a cent for each unit of data processed” for artificial intelligence. Funding from the tax would go into what Steyer called the Golden State’s sovereign wealth fund, with some of that money earmarked for housing construction jobs, health care, and upgrading California’s energy infrastructure.

“The goal of the initiative will be to strengthen the foundation of the state’s economy, invest in our communities, and create beautiful, vibrant public spaces,” states a campaign memo seen by WIRED. “To support these efforts, Tom will also invest heavily in training and apprenticeship programs across the state.”

The memo says the new plan also aims to expand unemployment insurance and create a new agency called the AIWPA that will include union leaders, academics and technologists who will adopt rules to protect workers’ rights.

“People all over this state are terrified that AI is going to hollow out this entire economy and they’re going to lose their jobs,” Steyer tells WIRED. “And young people are worried they’ll never get a job.” “We believe this could be an amazing, transformative technology in so many ways, but we are not in the business of leaving the people of California behind.”

Steyer’s job guarantee comes as lawmakers across the state and federal levels — and even some AI executives — scramble to address the ramifications of widespread AI adoption across the U.S. workforce. In New Jersey, Senator Troy Singleton recently introduced a bill that would require companies that replace workers with artificial intelligence to contribute to a fund that would Pay for retraining These workers. And in Congress there A bunch of suggestions For grants and tax credits for companies to provide AI training to current employees.

Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, previously proposed the concept of the token tax that Steyer is now proposing. “This is clearly not in my economic interest,” Amodei said. he told Axios last year. “But I think this would be a reasonable solution to the problem.” Last month, OpenAI proposed a similar proposal Public Wealth Fund When asked by Steyer.

Steyer’s announcement comes days after Democratic primary opponent Xavier Becerra — former Health and Human Services Secretary under President Joe Biden — offered his candidacy. Special AI plan. In this proposal, Becerra calls for “investing in the workforce and supporting the transition,” but does not offer a specific financing mechanism.

“Displacement without support is abandonment,” Becerra said. Monday note Outline of his plan. “I will work with the Legislature, the California public education system, and industry partners to build accessible, stackable workforce programs that prepare Californians for the AI ​​economy and support workers in navigating role changes.”

Over the past few months, the White House has threatened to go after countries that choose to regulate artificial intelligence. In December, President Donald Trump He signed an executive order This could result in federal broadband funding being eliminated from states that approve “onerous” AI laws. This is happening in local races, too: In New York, a super PAC backed by a number of Silicon Valley powerhouses, including Greg Brockman, co-founder of OpenAI, Alex targeted Borisa congressional candidate in Manhattan who has made regulating artificial intelligence a centerpiece of his campaign.

“Not regulating AI doesn’t seem plausible at all,” Steyer says. “But if California wants to lead, we have to have a vision for the future that includes something that is not just about letting entrepreneurs get rich at the expense of everyone else.”