SACRAMENTO — Gov. Newsom is expanding California’s first-in-the-nation digital democracy program, Engaged California, opening it up to all Californians for the first time. After two pilots, California is launching its most ambitious project yet by announcing a statewide recruitment for Californians to share details on how AI is affecting their work and our economy, and what the state should do about it. The feedback will be used to inform and guide state policy leaders on this new technology.
The engagement will take place in two phases:
- Public input: In the first phase, which begins May 7, participants are invited to sign up at engaged.ca.gov/ai. By opting in, they will create a user profile and answer questions about their experience with AI in their work and their thoughts on its impact on the economy. They will also be able to share their ideas for possible government action.
- Live discussion: In the second phase, which will begin later this summer, a smaller group of Californians, reflective of the California workforce, will be selected to participate in live forums. The groups will discuss the ideas presented through public input and dive more deeply into potential policy recommendations.
The goal is to find areas of agreement on what actions Californians would like to see the government consider. A final report will be delivered with the findings.
Engaged California is a first-in-the-nation deliberative democracy program designed to give Californians a unique opportunity to share their thoughts and connect with other people on topics that are important to them. The program is modeled after successful digital democracy efforts in Taiwan, which helped increase consensus-building and build governance powered by the people.
Engaged California is different from a poll or town hall, and is not designed to mimic social media. The platform is at the intersection of technology, democracy, and state government. The goal is to encourage constructive discussions as a new way to find common ground, a process known internationally as deliberative democracy.
Gov. Newsom first announced California’s goal to launch a statewide deliberative democracy effort with Engaged California in February 2025, launching a pilot program as part of the state’s response to the LA firestorms. The pilot sought input from thousands of local voices to help shape recovery efforts. Impacted residents helped identify and prioritize recovery needs that led to 19 recommendations for government action.
Gov. Newsom announced the next pilot in July 2025 as part of the Governor’s executive order to advance an efficient, effective, and engaged state government. More than 1,450 state employees participated and provided more than 2,500 ideas.
The participation-to-contribution ratio for both pilots shows something powerful: when people feel genuinely heard, they invest in the process.
Details: Sign up at engaged.ca.gov/ai