Steve Hilton, a political commentator and the Republican nominee for Governor of California, has proposed a ban on artificial intelligence systems making employment-related decisions. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, Hilton criticized the use of automated systems to fire workers, specifically citing a recent incident in San Francisco where a worker was allegedly terminated by an AI system.
Hilton stated that while California should embrace technology, it must not allow technology to lead society. He proposed prohibiting AI from deciding who gets fired, disciplined, demoted, or deactivated. Additionally, he called for a named human decision-maker to be present to hear a worker's side before any automated action is taken.
The nominee argued that losing access to a platform providing income is effectively a firing. He suggested that workers should be allowed to challenge AI-based employment decisions with the Labor Commissioner. Hilton also criticized businesses that lobbied for "robo-firings," stating, "In this case, the unions got it right." He pledged that, as governor, he would "END this inhumanity and stand up for working people."
