Governor Gavin Newsom Launches California AI Cyber Defense Initiative and State Teen Tech Council

SACRAMENTO, CA — California Governor Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom announced a dual executive initiative advancing state leadership in artificial intelligence governance, establishing a first-in-the-nation AI Cyber Defense Program within the California Cybersecurity Integration Center (Cal-CSIC) while launching the official California Teen Tech Council to shape youth digital wellness policy.

AI Cyber Defense Program and Critical Infrastructure Protection

The cybersecurity initiative operationalizes advanced generative AI tools and autonomous threat detection across state agencies to safeguard electrical grids, municipal water treatment facilities, and emergency response networks:

• Cal-CSIC AI Defense Core: Deploys proprietary automated threat-hunting algorithms within Cal-CSIC to identify vulnerabilities in state digital networks before foreign state-backed hackers can exploit them.
• Agency AI Cybersecurity Officers: Directs every major California state department and agency to appoint a designated AI Cybersecurity Officer responsible for auditing public automated systems, ensuring compliance with state privacy standards, and reporting algorithmic anomalies.
• Cal-Secure 2.0 Roadmap: Upgrades California's executive cybersecurity architecture to defend state government operations against deepfakes, automated phishing campaigns, and AI-generated zero-day exploits.

"California is the cradle of artificial intelligence, and we have a responsibility to lead the world not only in AI innovation, but in AI defense and digital safety," Governor Newsom stated in Sacramento. "By deploying AI against emerging cyber threats and giving young Californians a direct seat at the policy table, we are ensuring technology serves the public interest, safeguards our infrastructure, and protects our next generation."

Teen Tech Council and Digital Wellness

In partnership with First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and the non-profit advocacy organization #HalfTheStory, the administration launched the California Teen Tech Council, composed of 24 diverse youth leaders from across the state. The council will provide direct recommendations to executive agencies and the legislature on algorithmic design, social media mental health safeguards, and classroom AI literacy standards.

State health and education officials emphasized that engaging young users directly provides essential ground-level insight into how social algorithms impact adolescent sleep, mental health, and classroom engagement.

Public AI Workforce Dashboard

The Governor's Office confirmed that the California Employment Development Department (EDD) is on track to launch its public AI Workforce Disruption Dashboard on August 19, 2026, providing real-time labor market analytics on how artificial intelligence adoption is affecting employment across California industry sectors.