Protecting workers from unregulated, invasive technology that tracks movements and infers sensitive personal information.
That's the goal of a bill advancing in the state Legislature.
It would regulate the use of artificial intelligence and invasive data collection tools in the workplace.
Los Angeles Democratic Assembly member Isaac Bryan is the bill's author. He says employer surveillance takes various forms.
"Call center workers, for example, may be required to use tools that employ emotional recognition and generative AI to analyze interactions," adds Bryan. "These systems send constant nudges to alter worker behavior and provide data to supervisors for corrective measures. Workers face risk of bias, discrimination and error, usually without knowing they're being monitored in this way."
Opponents argue the bill's broad language prevents the use of routine equipment such as security cameras. The measure has passed the Senate's Privacy, Digital Tech and Consumer Protection Committee. It heads next to Appropriations.