California advances bill to ban AI emotion surveillance in workplaces

California is advancing legislation to restrict the use of artificial intelligence in monitoring employees. Assembly Bill 1883 has passed the state legislature and now awaits the signature of Governor Gavin Newsom. If signed, the law would prohibit employers from using AI to monitor workers' emotional states or collecting “neural data,” defined as information derived from the central or peripheral nervous system.

The bill includes exemptions for sectors related to national security, military, space, and defense. Violators of the act would face a $500 penalty per violation. While the bill does not ban all workplace surveillance, it seeks to limit invasive emotional and biological tracking.

In support of similar protections, the People’s Tech Coalition was recently formed in San Jose. This group, composed of South Bay unions, nonprofits, and community organizations, is advocating for state and local legal protections. The coalition aims to ensure workers have more control over their personal data and a greater say in how emerging technologies, such as algorithmic surveillance and AI management tools, are deployed in the workplace.