Government, made easier. Governor Newsom introduces AskCA, a new AI-powered tool for Californians

Help us create AskCA

Californians are being invited to help refine AskCA’s responses. Starting today, the Office of Data and Innovation is looking for beta testers for the next phase of the project.  Testers must be 18 years or older and a California resident.  Learn more about the sign up process at ask.ca.gov.

Subject matter experts from across state government are continually helping to inform the responses to improve AskCA’s accuracy. This ensures that answers provided are backed by verified sources, providing clear and actionable guidance rather than simple chat functionality.

Reimagining the journey of Californians in need
The prototype was researched and tested early with:

• 140+ fire recovery leaders and Altadena wildfire survivors

• A dozen job seekers at a recent CalHR job fair

• More than 100 general user testers

“Californians should not have to understand how government is organized just to get basic help,” said Director Jeffery Marino of the Office of Data and Innovation. “This digital assistant moves from traditional web search to a vision of a service-integrated tool, explaining services, streamlining logins, and unifying department services into a single experience.” 

Key partners supported AskCA in this bold effort. The California Office of Data and Innovation built AskCA’s knowledge base in collaboration with Anthropic’s Claude model, with security support from the California Department of Technology. Through its partnership with the state, announced in July, Anthropic also provides strategic guidance and technical assistance. Through the California Innovation Council and Emerging Technology Accelerator, U.S. Digital Response and Stanford’s RegLab help measure performance and improve the tool’s effectiveness, and a partnership with 211 further strengthens AskCA’s impact.

Use AskCA to help match skills to state jobs

CalHR is the first department to deploy the AskCA prototype in a live public service, powering a new AI‑driven job‑skills‑matching feature launching September 30 on CalCareers.ca.gov. Using the same engine behind California’s digital assistant, the tool helps job seekers understand how their experience aligns with state job classifications by allowing them to upload a resume and receive matching state roles — an approach early testers called especially helpful for those new to public service.

“CalHR is proud to be the first department to put the AskCA prototype into action to improve services for Californians,” said CalHR Director Monica Erickson. “By powering our new job skills matching feature, job seekers can better understand how their experience aligns with opportunities in state service. This pilot reflects our commitment to responsible innovation and to making CalCareers more accessible and supportive for everyone looking to serve California.” 

CalHR will launch the feature as a pilot with full public access, allowing ongoing refinement while ensuring privacy; the tool does not store personal information or require a CalCareers account.

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