California launches first AI policy academy for state lawmakers

The California Council on Science and Technology has launched the CCST Legislative Academy on AI, an educational program designed to help state lawmakers and their staff navigate AI policy decisions. The initiative comes as California grapples with over 50 AI-related bills in the 2025 legislative session alone, highlighting the urgent need for informed policymaking in this rapidly evolving field.

What you should know: The academy represents California’s first comprehensive effort to educate legislators specifically about artificial intelligence and its policy implications.

• The program is open exclusively to Legislature members and staff at no cost, with initial programming launching this fall.
• Six events are planned for the preliminary rollout, including lectures, seminars, policy roundtables, site visits to innovation hubs, and use case showcases.
• Topics will cover AI fundamentals, algorithmic bias, workforce impacts, and data privacy.

The big picture: California has become a hotbed for AI legislation, with more than 100 AI-related bills introduced since 2024, according to CCST CEO Julianne McCall.

• The sheer volume of legislative activity was highlighted by the Joint California Summit on Generative AI, which catalyzed CCST’s decision to create more structured educational resources.
• State-level AI regulation has gained renewed importance as federal approaches remain in flux, with bipartisan agreement that states should play a role in AI governance.

Why this matters: The academy addresses a critical gap between the technical complexity of AI and the policy expertise needed to regulate it effectively.

• “The CCST Legislative Academy on AI is a first-of-its-kind training program to help the California legislative staff better understand AI and the policy debates around it,” McCall said.
• The program aims to provide evidence-based resources to guide effective policymaking in a field where legislators must make decisions about technologies they may not fully understand.

Key partnerships: The initiative involves collaboration with prominent technology and social impact organizations.

• The academy is a partnership with the Omidyar Network, a philanthropic investment firm, and operates in collaboration with the Kapor Foundation.
• Curriculum development will incorporate feedback from both state Senate and Assembly staff to ensure relevance and practicality.

What’s next: The current rollout serves as a testing phase for different teaching formats before the full launch in 2026.

• CCST plans to present a draft curriculum and proposed guidelines for staff participation selection to legislative leadership by March.
• The 2026 launch will introduce an annual program, build on existing curriculum, and enhance cross-sector engagement.
• The academy is part of CCST’s broader AI Policy Initiative, which launched in 2024 and will include programming for audiences beyond the state Legislature.