Gavin Newsom’s time as California governor is running short, which may be why he’s accelerating positions to address an increasingly AI-dominated economy ahead of his likely presidential run in 2028.
On Tuesday, Newsom — speaking at the Center for American Progress conference with the organization’s CEO Neera Tanden — signaled that he’s considering sweeping new economic safety-net programs in response to artificial intelligence and worker displacement, while arguing President Trump’s economy is failing ordinary Americans despite rosy macroeconomic statistics.
“This is my mindset as I try to close out the last seven months of my administration,” Newsom said during an appearance at the Center for American Progress in Washington. “I’m thinking about universal basic capital, I’m thinking about public equity funds and dividends. I’m thinking about ownership.”
Newsom said he is also exploring policies modeled after European social welfare systems, including wage replacement programs and expanded worker protections as AI threatens white-collar jobs across the economy.
“I’m thinking about what you know you’re seeing in places like Denmark that do 90% wage replacement over a two-year period,” Newsom said.
