Santa Clara County is hitting pause on the rush to artificial intelligence, at least long enough to figure out who is really in charge: the algorithms or the people on the public payroll.
Supervisors voted yesterday to launch a countywide study into how the government is using AI, responding to mounting worker concerns that the technology could be tapped to replace public servants or quietly skew personnel decisions. Labor leaders are pushing for firm guardrails so AI helps staff instead of sidelining them, and supervisors say the study will pave the way for a formal policy. County leaders are pitching the move as a balancing act between efficiency and job protections as AI pilots creep into day-to-day government work.
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