SACRAMENTO—California has signed a statewide partnership with AI company Anthropic that will make its Claude artificial intelligence assistant available to all state agencies, as well as cities and counties, at a 50% discount, expanding the state's push to integrate generative AI into government operations while emphasizing workforce support and responsible deployment.
Governor Gavin Newsom announced the agreement on June 29, describing it as the first statewide arrangement of its kind. Under the partnership, state employees will receive access to Claude through the California Department of Technology's Statewide Information Technology Shared Services portal, alongside free workforce training, technical assistance and workflow support provided by Anthropic.
"AI should not replace the human work of government; it should help our workers move faster, solve problems more effectively, and deliver better results for Californians," Newsom said in a statement announcing the agreement.
According to the governor's office, agencies will be able to use Claude for tasks including drafting and summarizing documents, analyzing information and supporting routine administrative work. California officials said the technology is also being deployed in cybersecurity efforts, customer service at the Department of Motor Vehicles, internal workflows at the Department of Health Care Services and digital tools developed for state employees.
Anthropic's Head of Americas, Kate Jensen, said the company viewed the partnership as an opportunity to expand responsible AI adoption in its home state, adding that the agreement reflects the company's approach of building AI systems that serve people and public institutions.
The partnership builds on California's broader AI strategy launched under executive orders issued by Newsom beginning in 2023. State officials said those initiatives established procurement guidelines, workforce training programs and pilot projects aimed at improving public services while addressing privacy, security and ethical considerations surrounding AI deployment.
Last month, Newsom also signed an executive order directing state agencies to prepare for potential labor-market disruptions caused by artificial intelligence, including developing policies to support affected workers and communities. The Anthropic agreement follows that order but, according to the governor's office, is intended to augment rather than replace the state workforce.
California officials said the Anthropic agreement is effective immediately and that the state plans to continue expanding access to AI tools through centralized procurement while maintaining oversight of their use across government agencies.
