Economy - CalMatters

Technology

Everyone is judging AI by these tests. But experts say they’re close to meaningless

Benchmarks used to rank AI models are several years old, often sourced from amateur websites and, experts worry, lending automated systems a dubious sense of authority.

By Jon Keegan • July 17, 2024

Nursing students Ashley Jensen, left, and Courtney Houtz practice injection procedures in the clinical skills lab at University of San Francisco in San Francisco on Oct. 9, 2023. Photo by Amir Aziz for CalMatters

Economy

California’s ‘weak’ job market propped up by public money as private sector sheds jobs

Private-sector jobs in California have declined since their post-pandemic peak, while public-sector employment has shown gains, the state’s Legislative Analyst’s Office says.

By Levi Sumagaysay • July 9, 2024

A man drinks water during a heat wave in Los Angeles on July 13, 2023. Photo by Damian Dovarganes via AP

Economy

Hundreds of deaths, thousands of injuries, billions of dollars: The cost of extreme heat in California

Heat waves have killed hundreds of Californians and cost billions of dollars in the past decade, according to a new report from the state insurance department.

By Levi Sumagaysay • July 8, 2024

Technology

How a ‘once in a century’ broadband investment plan could go wrong

Nearly $2 billion in broadband funding is at stake in the next 30 days, but advocacy groups say the challenge process is designed to fail.

By Khari Johnson • July 3, 2024

The Secretary of State building in Sacramento on Nov. 7, 2022. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

Education

The effort to bring back affirmative action in limited form is dead

The measure’s author said it would compete with other priorities this year, including an effort to fend off a proposed constitutional amendment to punish retail thieves and another to restrict forced labor in prisons. He wants to propose it for a future election season.

By Mikhail Zinshteyn • June 25, 2024

Technology

Still need your landline? California regulators just stopped AT&T from pulling the plug

The California Public Utilities Commission rejected the telecom’s bid to stop providing service in many parts of the state.

By Khari Johnson • June 20, 2024

Technology

Could AI reject your resume? California tries to prevent a new kind of discrimination

State regulators propose rules on evaluating workers and job applicants with AI.

By Khari Johnson • June 20, 2024

Owner Lina Mills speaks with customers outside of Creative Ideas Catering in San Francisco on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. The governor’s new proposed budget would cut more than half of the funding of California’s Small Business Technical Assistance Program, which benefits small businesses like Creative Ideas Catering. Photo by Juliana Yamada for CalMatters.

Economy

‘Wouldn’t be where I am today:’ California’s small business owners fight to save state aid

A program that helps small businesses is just one of the proposed budget cuts on which California’s governor and Legislature disagree.

By Levi Sumagaysay • June 14, 2024

A house burns on Platina Road at the Zogg Fire near Ono in 2020. Photo by Ethan Swope, AP Photo

Economy

California pushes insurers to cover more homes in these areas. Is your ZIP included?

California can't legally require insurers to write either residential or commercial property policies. But the state expects insurers to comply with the options unveiled today because they get something they want in return: catastrophe modeling.

By Levi Sumagaysay • June 12, 2024

Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies in Sacramento on Feb. 28, 2022. Photo by Rahul Lal, Sipa USA via Reuters

Technology

These wrongly arrested Black men say a California bill would let police misuse face recognition

Three men falsely arrested based on face recognition technology have joined the fight against a California bill that aims to place guardrails around police use of the technology. They say it will still allow abuses and misguided arrests.

By Khari Johnson • June 11, 2024