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California is launching a teen tech council to provide students an opportunity to advise on state decisions about technology, artificial intelligence and digital wellness, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced on Aug. 11.
The Teen Tech Council, which is in partnership with youth advocacy nonprofit #HalfTheStory and part of Newsom’s California Innovation Council, convened 20 teens representing more than 10 school districts for the council’s first meeting in Sacramento.
In the meeting, which included state leaders such as Health and Human Services Secretary Kim Johnson and Cabinet Secretary Nani Coloretti, students discussed topics related to AI use, including classroom use, safety, deepfake imagery, generative AI use and human interaction.
“Our young people have the most at stake, as the technology and policies we develop today will shape the world they inherit tomorrow,” Newsom said in a statement. “California is leading the nation on AI and technology policy. And with the voice of our next generation, we’ll continue building a future that is safer, stronger, and more innovative for all.”
The state plans to recruit teens at statewide events this fall and will train them in spring 2027 to help “lead projects that directly improve the wellness of teens,” according to Newsom’s office. California is the second state to adopt a teen tech advisory council, following New York’s launch of teen tech council in 2025.
California has put forth the country’s most ambitious legislation to regulate technology use by young people, including a proposal to ban social media accounts for children under age 16 and implement age verification, and a ballot measure to impose restrictions on children’s use of AI chatbots. The council will also form as social media companies like Meta and Google face over a thousand school districts in a multidistrict lawsuit alleging that their algorithms have addicted and harmed teens.
