State and local agencies will have access to Anthropic’s Claude AI assistant at a discounted price through California’s new IT services portal, with some already utilizing the tools for internal workflows.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s office announced Monday that California has struck a new deal with Anthropic that will allow state agencies to utilize its Claude AI assistant at 50% off through the California Department of Technology's new statewide information technology services portal while receiving training and technical support. The agreement also extends the same discounted pricing and support to cities and counties across the state.
Newsom said the tools are intended to help government employees with tasks such as drafting and summarizing documents, analyzing information, and streamlining day-to-day work — not replace workers.
“AI should not replace the human work of government; it should help our workers move faster, solve problems more effectively, and deliver better results for Californians,” Newsom said.
According to the governor's office, several agencies are already using Claude. The California Department of Motor Vehicles is using it to improve customer service and reduce wait times, while the California Department of Health Care Services has deployed it for internal workflows. The state has also used Claude to support its Engaged California public participation platform, assist with cybersecurity work, and help power Poppy, an AI tool developed by state employees for internal use.
Anthropic's Claude will reportedly be the first AI productivity platform available to all state agencies through the centralized portal, though the state did not release any estimates on costs or projected savings tied to the rollout.
The deal comes as Anthropic faces increased federal scrutiny. As SFist reported in April, the company declined to publicly release its new Mythos model, citing fears it could be used to carry out sophisticated cyberattacks.
According to Reuters, earlier this month, the Trump administration ordered Anthropic to suspend access to its Mythos 5 and Fable 5 models over national security concerns, though access was partially restored earlier this month for a select group of vetted US organizations and agencies.
Related: Anthropic's New Model, Mythos, Is So Dangerous It Isn't Being Released to the Public
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