Gov.
Gavin Newsom said California struck a new deal with the artificial intelligence company Anthropic that will give state agencies access to its Claude assistant, along with training and technical support to improve how government services are delivered.
The state said Claude will be used for tasks such as drafting and condensing documents, reviewing information, and supporting day-to-day operations.
The governor’s office explained that agencies can purchase Claude at half price and receive free workforce training plus help from Anthropic specialists on how to integrate generative AI into workflows.
Newsom framed the initiative as a way to speed up government work without displacing public employees, saying, "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." Read Also: Microsoft, OpenAI Face Copyright Lawsuit From Nearly 400 Newspaper Publishers Anthropic’s Kate Jensen, the company’s head of the Americas, said the company sees the project as a home-state responsibility and added, "We’re honored to expand our partnership with California’s agencies and to put Claude to work for the people who keep this state running." Jensen also said, "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." Government Operations Agency Secretary Nick Maduros said employees need access to modern tools, adding, "To do that, we need to make sure our teams have access to the best modern tools, including Claude and other emerging technologies." California has already tested Claude in several areas, including work tied to Engaged California and an internal tool called Poppy, according to Gov.
