On Tuesday, December 16, Governor Newsom launched new initiatives to partner with tech policy experts and accelerate responsible AI in state government.
One aspect is the launch of the California Innovation Council, which leverages the collective knowledge of the nation’s top tech policy experts to help California develop and strengthen its technology policy. UC Berkeley School of Information Professor Deirdre K. Mulligan, who previously served as President Joe Biden’s Principal Deputy U.S. Chief Technology Officer, has been invited to join the council, along with other top policy, tech, and academic experts.
“It’s a crucial time for the state to show the public how technological innovations can advance public missions and align with our long-standing commitment to protecting democratic values and human rights.”
Four working groups dedicated to different issues, including children’s online safety, online fraud, economic development, and modernizing government service delivery, will drive the Council’s work. Prof. Mulligan has been selected to join the latter, where she will investigate ways to improve government services to Californians through the responsible design and use of technology.
Among this group of distinguished experts are former U.S. Senator Laphonza Butler, Ted Mermin, Executive Director of the Center for Consumer Law and Economic Justice at the UC Berkeley School of Law, and individuals from the Stanford Institute for Human Centered AI, the Mozilla Foundation, the Brookings Institution, the California Chamber of Commerce, and more. They will collaborate with state leaders, including Vera Zakem, California State Chief Technology Innovation Officer, and an inaugural UC Berkeley Executive Fellow in Applied Technology Policy.
“I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to support the state’s efforts to use emerging technologies responsibly to address the needs of all Californians,” said Mulligan. “It’s a crucial time for the state to show the public how technological innovations can advance public missions and align with our long-standing commitment to protecting democratic values and human rights.”
The Governor also launched today a new Emerging Technology Accelerator, creating formal partnerships between the state and UC Berkeley, as well as the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI, the Mozilla Foundation, the Tech Talent Project, US Digital Response, and Nava Labs.
Prof. Mulligan’s work on the Council and UC Berkeley’s participation in the Emerging Technology Accelerator bring the knowledge and capacity of UC Berkeley’s faculty, staff, and students into important state efforts to design, develop, deploy, and evaluate technology to ensure modernized government service delivery works for all Californians.
“California is at the forefront of AI technology — and is home to some of the most successful and innovative companies and academic leaders in the world,” said Governor Newsom. “We’re not going to sit on the sidelines and let others define the future for us. But we’re going to do it responsibly — making sure we capture the benefits, mitigate the harms, and continue to lead with the values that define this state.”
