California gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer has put forward a proposal for a new jobs guarantee aimed at protecting workers who lose their positions due to artificial intelligence, according to WIRED.
The proposal represents what WIRED characterizes as a “long-shot” effort to address the potential labor market disruptions caused by AI technology. While specific details of the guarantee program were not elaborated in the report, the initiative signals growing political attention to AI’s impact on employment in California, a state that serves as both a major technology hub and home to millions of workers across various industries.
Steyer’s proposal comes as concerns about AI-driven job displacement continue to be debated among policymakers, labor advocates, and technology leaders. The jobs guarantee would aim to provide some form of protection or alternative employment opportunities for California workers whose jobs are automated or eliminated due to AI systems, though the specific mechanisms and funding for such a program remain to be detailed.