California's state agencies gain discounted access to the Claude AI, enhancing operational efficiency through a partnership with Anthropic.
Governor Gavin Newsom of California announced on June 29 a collaboration with Anthropic, providing state, city, and county agencies access to the AI assistant Claude at a 50% discount. This initiative aims to enhance operational efficiency across various government sectors.
The partnership includes complimentary training for employees, ongoing technical support, and direct involvement from Anthropic developers for tailored workflow modifications.
“AI should not replace human work in government. It should assist employees in working faster, solving problems more efficiently, and achieving better outcomes for Californians,” remarked Newsom.
Claude is set to become the primary AI tool for operational tasks accessible to all state agencies via the California Department of Technology's SITeS portal. Already, several agencies have adopted the Claude AI for roles in customer service, internal operations, and cybersecurity, such as code scanning.
This move aligns with Newsom's ongoing efforts to embed AI solutions in public services, following his 2023 directive for agencies to examine generative AI applications and a 2025 executive order aimed at elevating government efficacy.
In March 2026, the governor mandated updates to AI procurement guidelines to address civil rights, privacy, and employee safety considerations.
Recently, on June 9, Anthropic unveiled two new versions of the Claude model, with Fable 5 marketed as a safe, general-use tool, while Claude Mythos 5 features a "private" base model with fewer restrictions. Shortly thereafter, access to these models was curtailed for foreign nationals due to a U.S. government directive potentially linked to concerns over Chinese utilization.
Additionally, at the end of June, Anthropic reported that operators tied to Alibaba were involved in attempts to distill its Claude model.
