California signs deal to bring Claude AI tools to government workers

California has entered into a new partnership with artificial intelligence company Anthropic that will make its Claude AI assistant available to state agencies, Gov. Gavin Newsom's office announced Monday.

Newsom framed the agreement as a way for AI to help government workers, not replace them.

"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.

The deal gives California agencies access to Claude at a 50% discount. State workers will also get free workforce training, technical assistance and workflow help from Anthropic.

Claude will be the first AI productivity tool available to all state agencies through the California Department of Technology's new Statewide Information Technology Shared Services portal, according to Newsom's office.

The same discounted offer will also be available to California cities and counties interested in using Claude.

"Building AI responsibly and in service of people has been our approach from the start, and that's exactly what this partnership puts into practice," said Kate Jensen, Anthropic's head of Americas, in a statement.

Newsom's office said some California agencies have already been using Claude for projects, including the Department of Motor Vehicles for customer service improvements and the California Department of Health Care Services for internal workflows.

No total cost or projected savings from Claude's implementation were detailed in Monday's announcement.

"This partnership is about using technology the California way: responsibly, transparently, and in service of people," Newsom said.

The deal with California comes as Anthropic faces separate federal scrutiny over its powerful Mythos model, which was recently restricted over national security concerns before limited access was restored.

California's broader AI push includes using the technology in government while tracking its potential impact on workers. Last week, Newsom's office announced a tool to track whether AI is contributing to job losses in the state.