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.
Board Orders Deep Dive On County AI Use
The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously yesterday, with Supervisor Susan Ellenberg absent, to order a comprehensive review of AI use across county departments and to bring back a report alongside a formal policy for approval at a later date, as reported by SFGATE. The study will look at tools and pilots across the county, including inside Santa Clara Valley Healthcare, the county health system, which the County of Santa Clara describes as California's second-largest county-owned health and hospital system, according to the county health system.
Supervisors Push For 'People-Centered' Rules
District 5 Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga, who is leading the effort with Board President Otto Lee, said the county needs "a clear, thoughtful, people-centered, values-driven policy" before it leans more heavily on AI. "AI should enhance our workforce, not replace it," Abe-Koga said, directing staff to widen the report's scope beyond generative AI and to pilot tools such as Microsoft Copilot in select departments, as reported by SFGATE.
Labor Leaders Demand A Human In The Loop
Union representatives told the board they want to help write the rules and ensure strict human oversight, warning that AI should never be used to discipline or fire workers. County Employees Management Association business agent Zeb Feldman and other labor voices called for explicit bans on high-risk applications; Feldman's role is documented on the County Employees Management Association website. The South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council has also pushed for policies crafted with workers to guarantee a human in the loop, as reflected on its site.
San Jose's GovAI Coalition Sets The Regional Stage
San Jose has been building a shared toolkit for governments through the GovAI Coalition, putting out templates, vendor standards and training for public agencies, according to the City of San Jose. Nearby jurisdictions are moving in a similar direction: for example, San Mateo County passed measures in 2025 to protect county jobs from AI-driven cuts, signaling a broader regional push to match tech experimentation with firm guardrails.
What Comes Next For County Hall
County staff has been instructed to return with the expanded study and a proposed formal policy for the board to review, and supervisors are already signaling they expect disclosure rules and targeted prohibitions to be part of whatever comes back. County officials say existing vetting processes are in place to review new tools for safety, transparency and security as the county continues cautiously testing AI in select operations.
