California bans AI teachers in K‑12 schools while expanding AI tools for state agencies

Effective 2027, California will prohibit the use of artificial‑intelligence systems as teachers in public K‑12 classrooms. The amendment to the state education code, Assembly Bill 2148, was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom and requires that all instruction be delivered by a "natural person." AI may still be used for tutoring or assistance, but any direct teaching must come from a human educator. The measure was promoted by Rep. Al Muratsuchi, who warned that children need human teachers to maintain essential connections in education. The law arrives as private AI‑driven schools are planned in the state, such as a Santa Monica institution charging $65,000 per year.

Separately, Governor Newsom announced a deal with Anthropic to make its Claude AI assistant available to any California state agency, city, or county through a new shared‑services portal. The agreement offers a 50 % discount and free training, positioning Claude as the first AI productivity tool offered statewide. Critics note that the contract lacks disclosed total cost and raises concerns about vendor concentration, transparency, and competition, calling for regular rebidding and reporting of measurable savings.