The state has released its findings on the latest measure of public sentiment surrounding artificial intelligence and permanently enshrined the platform used to gather that input.
First, the report. The main findings should come as no surprise to anyone who has been watching AI take hold, with concerns centered on clearer boundaries for the evolving technology and protections of data and workers.
The 2,702 participants outlined three top-line priorities that included accountability for AI companies that cause harm, protection of people and the environment, and rules around where the technology can be used.
Other priorities outlined by the participants included new data collection limitations and worker protections, tracking and reporting on AI-related job losses and support for independent research, among many others. All told, the group identified 26 policy opportunities through the survey process. The results of that survey effort can be found in full here.
Second, the law that makes Engaged California a permanent fixture. As part of the governor’s flurry of last-minute bill signings last month, Assembly Bill 2103 was signed into law.
That bill from Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks, codified the public-government communication platform run by the Office of Data and Innovation.
“This is a victory for Californians. This law gives them a seat at the table when it comes to the policies and programs that shape their lives,” ODI Director Jeffery Marino wrote in a blog post.
The Engaged California platform was launched in early 2025 during the deadly Los Angeles wildfires and recovery efforts as a means of identifying resident priorities and pain points.
Since that time, it’s been used to interact with more than 1,400 state workers to find new opportunities for operational efficiencies and better government and, of course, gauge the concern surrounding AI.
That latest engagement also included a two-hour online forum with more than 100 participants selected through a lottery process.
Officials point to the input gathered by the platform as a driver of real legislative change, noting that it played a role in the creation of several laws and an executive order signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in September.
As State Issues AI Report Findings, Engaged California Becomes a Fixture
There are two pieces of news surrounding the public input platform Engaged California. The first is that the state has released the findings on public AI sentiment. The second is that the input-collection mechanism is now a permanent fixture.
