Governor Newsom Just Announced a Major AI Partnership for California Government

California state agencies will soon get wider access to artificial intelligence (AI) tools under a first-of-its-kind partnership announced by Governor Gavin Newsom.

He said on June 29 that the state has collaborated with California-based AI company Anthropic to allow state agencies, cities, and counties to responsibly use AI tools to enhance services and expand state workforce training.

Under the agreement, state agencies, cities, and counties can purchase Anthropic’s AI productivity assistant, Claude, at a 50% discount. State agencies will also receive workforce training and GenAI technical assistance from Anthropic as part of the collaboration.

Claude is expected to help state officials with tasks, including drafting and summarizing documents, analyzing information, supplementing daily work, and improving services, according to the governor’s office.

Stressing that AI should not replace human work, Newsom said it should help government employees work faster, more efficiently, and deliver better results.

“This partnership is about using technology the California way: responsibly, transparently, and in service of people,” he said in the statement.

California 🤝 @AnthropicAI

We’re entering a partnership to strengthen cybersecurity and provide @ClaudeAI to state agencies — and California local governments — at a 50% discount.

The Golden State helped build Silicon Valley — and every Californian should benefit from the…

— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) June 29, 2026

According to the governor’s office, Claude is the first AI tool that will be available to state agencies through the California Department of Technology’s new Statewide Information Technology Shared Services (SITeS) portal.

The state has already incorporated Claude into several government initiatives. The AI assistant was used to facilitate Engaged California, a public participation platform that gathers community input on policy issues.

Claude was also used by the state to develop Poppy, an AI tool created by state workers through pre-built queries customized to common state business needs.

Other departments are also increasingly using Claude for their daily work, as per the governor’s office.

The California Department of Technology and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services are using Claude for cybersecurity work, while the California Department of Motor Vehicles is applying it to improve customer service and reduce wait times.

The California Department of Health Care Services is deploying the tool to assist with internal workflows supporting Medicaid programs.

California’s Efforts to Expand AI Use

The announcement builds on Governor Newsom’s broader initiatives to expand the use of AI in state government.

Since issuing the nation’s first statewide executive order on generative AI in 2023, California has introduced AI pilot programs, developed procurement and workforce guidelines, expanded employee training, and enacted legislation aimed at increasing transparency and oversight of advanced AI systems, according to the governor’s office.