The governor’s office released a report from Engaged California that summarizes statewide public input on artificial intelligence; the report identified three top priorities for Californians on AI policy.

The three themes the report said received the strongest support were: hold AI companies accountable for the harm they cause; protect people and the environment from the resource needs of AI; and set rules for where and how AI can be used safely.

The office described the project as the first statewide public-engagement effort through Engaged California; the platform opened to every resident in May 2026, the office said, and began as a pilot used in the state’s LA firestorms recovery work.

Participants offered a mix of views, the report said; some urged strong worker protections and more transparency from AI companies, while others cautioned against overregulation. One participant said, "The first thing I think is that we compel the AI companies to open up their black box, and have more peer-reviewed studies about the claims they’re making."

The governor’s office said the recommendations will help guide policy and add to California’s existing AI framework; the office listed prior actions including a 2023 executive order on generative AI, SB 53 (the Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act) in 2025, SB 813 and AB 1405 in 2026, Adam’s Law on child-safety standards, the Delete Act and DROP for privacy, an AI Cyber Defense Program, and a Tech Fraud Task Force.

The office said Engaged California was developed by the Government Operations Agency and the Office of Data and Innovation with Carnegie California; the office named additional partners and advisers including Stanford’s Deliberative Democracy Lab, UC Berkeley, Harvard’s Center for Internet and Society, the San Francisco Foundation, Project Liberty Institute, and the Kapor Center.

"AI is changing how we live, work, learn, and connect, and Californians should have a real voice in what that future looks like," Governor said in the release. The final report, the office said, contains a full list of recommendations and the public’s feedback.

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Gavin Newsom

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