California is turning to artificial intelligence to help residents navigate state government.
The Newsom administration is launching “Ask CA,” an AI-powered tool designed to make it easier to find government services — from searching for jobs and starting a business to accessing family programs and applying for disaster relief.
The system is being developed using Anthropic’s Claude AI technology and is specifically designed to guide users through California government resources.
The timing is interesting: California is embracing AI to improve government services while some communities are restricting the massive data centers needed to power the AI boom.
“Ask CA” begins its pilot program next month, and Californians can sign up now to test it. You need to be 18 years of age and a California resident.
You can sign up to become a beta tester for California’s new digital assistant, through the Office of Data and Innovation at ask.ca.gov.
So California’s newest government employee may not be an employee at all — it’s AI.
