California Governor Signs Landmark Law Banning Sole Use of AI in Employee Discipline
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 947, known as the 'No Robo Bosses Act,' which prohibits employers from relying solely on artificial intelligence to fire or discipline workers. The law mandates that if AI is used primarily for such decisions, a human reviewer must corroborate them using additional information like managerial evaluations and personnel files. Employees affected by these decisions will also receive written notice detailing the use of AI in their case. The legislation was authored by California State Senator Jerry McNerney following strong advocacy from organized labor groups concerned about biased or flawed automated decision-making systems. Newsom had previously vetoed an earlier version of the bill but reversed his stance after significant public and legislative pressure, signaling a shift toward stricter oversight of AI in employment practices. This move aligns with broader regulatory efforts by Newsom on artificial intelligence, including executive orders addressing potential existential risks posed by advanced models.
