Steyer Unveils AI Plan to Lead the Future, Protect Working Families

Steyer Proposes “Golden State Sovereign Wealth Fund” to Give Californians a Direct Stake in the AI Boom

SAN FRANCISCO — Today, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer announced a bold AI agenda to keep California at the forefront of innovation while protecting workers, families, and children — and guaranteeing that the benefits of AI fuel shared prosperity across the state.

“I refuse to let California’s future be a boom for billionaires and a bust for everyone else,” Steyer said. “That’s why I’m setting out a plan that puts the interests of working people, families, and kids first — and protects them from forces that put wealth first. California has shown what AI can do. Now we must show how to make AI work for everyone.”

In the proposal, Steyer’s plan positions the state to lead the next era of innovation, while putting guardrails in place to protect working people and communities. Steyer prioritizes protecting workers and families — including requiring data centers to pay their own way — ensuring Californians share in AI-driven wealth through a Golden State Sovereign Wealth Fund, and keeping California the global innovation leader.

READ MORE: POLITICO | Tom Steyer’s tech and AI plan

The following are excerpts from the article. Click to read full coverage.

California gubernatorial hopeful Tom Steyer wants to create a "Golden State Sovereign Wealth Fund” with money from the state’s artificial intelligence boom, require data centers to pay their own way, and impose tougher regulations on AI. 

The ideas were part of a broader technology plan the billionaire candidate unveiled Wednesday, becoming the first among a group of front-runners in the race to offer some details on how he would grapple with major challenges and opportunities presented by AI.

“I refuse to let California’s future be a boom for billionaires and a bust for everyone else,” Steyer said in the four-page plan, which also focuses on protecting workers and kids from AI and automation.

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Under his plan, a tax would be levied on businesses for AI use and the money generated would be funneled into education, training and job opportunities for workers, as well as into other investments.

Steyer’s plan calls for tech giants to pay for the energy they use in data centers that fuel their AI programs. He said companies should pay for maintaining or upgrading grid infrastructure needed to service data centers, and invest in clean energy for supplying power to the computing facilities.

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Steyer’s AI jobs plan would mandate human oversight in tasks that “pose health, safety, or fairness concerns.”

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On kids’ safety in the AI era, the gubernatorial hopeful vowed to ban social media for teens under 16 and strengthen restrictions on phones in classrooms.

You can read the full plan here.

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