Yesterday, Governor Newsom launched two different initiatives in the wake of renewed national discourse about the paradoxical dangers and simultaneous potential of artificial intelligence.
The first is AskCA, a new AI chatbot designed as a “single entry point” to help Californians navigate state services.
The second is new legislation to strengthen AI safeguards in California by establishing third-party audits and assessments of AI systems.
Here’s a closer look…
AskCA seeks volunteers for pilot
California launched AskCA yesterday as a digital assistant, or chatbot, meant to help Californians navigate and understand state and government programs. The prototype is now available for volunteers to sign up and beta test the pilot, helping to improve the bot’s responses.
The Office of Data and Innovation built the prototype in the wake of the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires in an effort to “deliver services faster, reduce administrative complexity, and connect people to the right resources without unnecessary barriers,” according to Secretary of the Government Operations Agency, Nick Maduros.
It’s meant to help Californians connect directly with legitimate, accurate government resources when seeking assistance with everything from finding a job to family services and disaster recovery.
“Californians should not have to understand how government is organized just to get basic help,” said Office of Data and Innovation Director, Jeffery Marino.
🌐 Learn more: ask.ca.gov
California introduces two bills for “first-in-the-nation” safeguards
AskCA launched on the same day that Newsom introduced two new bills in the interest of AI safety, third-party evaluation, and audits. The bills come in the wake of recent news about the threat that advanced AI agents present to humanity.
Senate Bill 813, introduced by Senator Jerry McNerney (D – Pleasanton), establishes infrastructure for “independent verification organizations” designed to assess AI systems for compliance with state law.
Concurrently, Assembly Bill 1405, authored by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda), creates a registry and standards for AI auditors to ensure their “independence, transparency, and integrity.”
Both of the bills have the support of Anthropic and OpenAI, according to Politico.
🌐 Learn more: gov.ca.gov