California Governor Gavin Newsom signed several bills on Wednesday aimed at restricting how employers can use artificial intelligence in the workplace.

The legislation includes the No Robo Bosses Act, which prohibits employers from relying solely on automated decision-making systems to discipline or terminate workers. Employers that use AI as a primary tool for such decisions must now have a human reviewer consider additional information like managerial evaluations before finalizing actions. Affected employees must receive written notice detailing the AI's role, the data used, and a human contact for further explanation.

Additional measures ban the use of AI to predict workers' emotional states through biometric data or to collect brain activity information. Employers must also provide written notices if AI contributes to mass layoffs, relocations, or terminations. Separate provisions ensure that healthcare professionals retain final authority over patient care decisions rather than AI systems.

These laws build on an earlier executive order Newsom issued in May directing state agencies to study AI's potential workforce impacts. The new measures add enforceable restrictions after previous vetoes of broader proposals.

Newsom also signed an executive order requiring state agencies to use the term "artificial intelligence" rather than alternatives promoted in federal contexts. In statements, he emphasized protecting workers amid technological change while criticizing the lack of federal action.

The bills take effect at varying times, with some provisions including civil penalties for violations enforced by the state labor commissioner. California has positioned itself as a leader in AI regulation through these and prior steps.