Executive Order N-6-26

Citation

Newsom, Gavin, Governor of California. Executive Order N-6-26 (AI and the workforce). Executive Department, State of California, signed May 21, 2026. https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/5.21.26-AI-Workforce-EO-FINAL-SIGNED.pdf. Copy: raw/shared/2026-10-14 Executive Order N-6-26 AI and the workforce.md (original: .pdf beside it), fetched 2026-10-14. Read 2026-10-15.

Bottom line

Directive 9 set a deadline of “No later than October 15, 2026” for the Government Operations Agency (GovOps). It must give the Governor options that include “securing dedicated access to computing power for research and development of AI that meets specified criteria for advancing the public good.” That deadline is today.
This is a state executive request for the same kind of public compute that CalCompute is.

Background

The order follows Executive Order N-12-23 (Sept. 6, 2023, generative AI) and Executive Order N-5-26 (March 30, 2026, AI procurement and civil rights). It is about AI’s effect on workers and the economy. (recitals)

Key claims

Recitals:

Private market incentives mean AI for the public good “may not be prioritized or, in some cases, pursued at all, especially when coupled with the concentration of computing power among a handful of private actors and prohibitive costs of developing AI ecosystems at scale”. (recitals)
“government can play a key role in ensuring access to AI infrastructure for the public good”. (recitals)
The state has “Memorandums of understanding with NVIDIA, Adobe, Google, IBM, and Microsoft—in collaboration with California State University and the California Community Colleges—to expand AI literacy trainings”. (recitals)
“the University of California’s Extension program serves over 300,000 people every year”. (recitals)

Directives with dates:

Directive 9, verified word for word: “No later than October 15, 2026, the Government Operations Agency shall, in consultation with academics and experts from the University of California system, Stanford University’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, and the private sector, provide the Governor with options and recommendations for actions that could alter incentive structures and increase likelihood of AI development and deployments that advance the public good and address critical problems and emerging opportunities facing society. Recommendations may include, but should not be limited to, public-private partnerships, voluntary or mandatory programs that direct a portion of revenue generated by AI companies to support beneficial deployments of AI that otherwise would not be pursued based solely on market incentives, and securing dedicated access to computing power for research and development of AI that meets specified criteria for advancing the public good.” (directive 9)
Directive 4, by Oct. 15, 2026: the Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) reviews how collective bargaining addresses AI, “including how worker voice is incorporated in adoption of emerging technologies”. (directive 4)
Directive 5, by Oct. 15, 2026: LWDA reviews workforce training programs. The Employment Development Department (EDD) develops “an AI playbook” with local workforce boards. (directive 5)
Directive 7, within 90 days of May 21, 2026: EDD launches a dashboard of “AI’s impacts on employment across various sectors using Unemployment Insurance data”. (directive 7)
Directives 2 and 3, within 180 days: LWDA recommends changes to the California WARN Act and reviews displaced-worker safety nets. (directives 2 and 3)
Directive 12 asks institutions of higher education to expand workforce measures and on-the-job training. (directive 12)

Evidence and method

An executive order. It states policy and directs agencies. It cites figures (for example 674,000 earn-and-learn opportunities) without sources.

Limits

The order directs reports to the Governor. It does not say they will be public.
It “is not intended to, and does not, create any rights or benefits” (closing paragraph).
The order does not print those dates.