California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Anthropic have agreed to let California state agencies and local governments use Claude, Anthropic’s AI chatbot, at discounted rates with training and support, as the state expands AI use in public services.

The governor’s office said state workers could use Claude to draft documents and analyze information, and Newsom said the tools are meant to support rather than replace government staff.

The agreement follows Newsom’s March 30 executive order, which directs California to deploy generative AI transparently while protecting privacy and civil liberties.

The order also adds procurement rules that require vendors to disclose trust-and-safety practices.

The rollout comes after the Pentagon in early March labeled Anthropic a supply chain risk.

Anthropic said the designation was limited to Claude’s direct use in Department of Defense contracts.

🔗 Source: TechCrunch