California labor leaders are advancing a package of legislation aimed at protecting workers from the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence in the workplace. Backed by the California Federation of Labor Unions and former Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez, the proposals are designed to ensure that new technologies do not replace human workers without accountability or oversight. Labor advocates warn that AI is already being used to make hiring, discipline, and production decisions, raising concerns that automation could come at the expense of workers’ job and protections.
Among the proposals is SB 951, which would require employers to provide advance notice when AI systems are introduced in ways that could displace human workers or significantly alter working conditions. Supporters argue that transparency is essential so workers and their unions can respond before job losses occur. Another measure, SB 947, known as the “No Robot Bosses” bill, seeks to limit the use of fully automated decision-making in employment. If passed, the bill would ensure that human oversight remains part of workplace decisions such as discipline, termination, and performance evaluation.
Labor leaders emphasize that California, as the birthplace of many of the world’s largest technology companies, bears a unique responsibility to address the risks associated with AI. While artificial intelligence has the potential to improve productivity, its unchecked deployment could also lead to widespread displacement and diminished accountability. Without safeguards, AI-driven management tools could replicate bias, accelerate unsafe work practices, or obscure responsibility when workers are injured or wrongfully terminated.
These proposed laws carry direct implications for both access to employment and accountability in the workers’ compensation system. AI-driven job displacement could push injured workers out of the labor market more quickly, complicating return-to-work efforts and increasing disputes over permanent disability and vocational retraining. Automated management systems may also play a role in production quotas, discipline, and safety enforcement, raising new evidentiary and legal questions when injuries occur. As AI technology is introduced into the workplace, transparency, human oversight, and clear lines of responsibility will be essential to protecting injured workers’ rights and preserving fair access to California’s workers’ compensation protections.
