California Gov. Gavin Newsom bans AI ‘robo bosses’ in landmark state law, reversing his earlier veto

“No worker should ever be fired or disciplined by a machine, AI or not. Artificial intelligence systems have the potential to boost productivity, but they’ve also made errors and misjudgments and exhibited bias,” California State Senator Jerry McNerney, the bill’s author, told CNBC. “AI must remain a tool controlled by humans, not the other way around.”

McNerney, a Democrat, first introduced the act in 2025, following a concerted push by organized labor in the state to erect guardrails around management’s ability to use AI in taking adverse action against workers. 

For the full report, click here.