Tech leaders funding Matt Mahan's campaign for California governor say it's not about tech
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San José Mayor Matt Mahan’s run for California governor has been defined from the start by his donor list.Mahan entered the race late and with little statewide name recognition, but catapulted into contention thanks to massive funding from billionaire tech titans, venture capitalists, cryptocurrency investors and other Silicon Valley elites.In a state with more than 23 million voters and hugely expensive media markets, the money signaled Mahan would be a contender.It also spurred accusations from his more liberal Democratic competitors and powerful labor leaders that Mahan is beholden to Big Tech, including forces aligned with President Trump.California Labor Federation President Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher recently described Mahan as “funded by Trump’s big tech billionaires,” while fellow Democratic candidate Tom Steyer — a billionaire running against corporate interests — called him “MAGA Matt Mahan.”That framing has persisted, despite Mahan being a centrist Democrat who has publicly criticized Trump.On Thursday, Mahan released a four-page “Plan to Hold Big Tech Accountable and Ensure AI Works for All Californians.” The proposal called for AI and data centers to pay for their power and water needs, fund workforce stability initiatives and ensure human oversight of AI tools in critical sectors such as healthcare.
It also called for the state to use AI to become more efficient, to bar cellphones in schools and to require parental consent for kids 15 and under joining social media.California Candidates running to replace termed-out Gov.
Gavin Newsom repeatedly attacked surging Democrat Xavier Becerra during a testy debate in a remarkably unsettled contest less than three weeks before the June 2 primary.In an interview with The Times, Mahan, 43, said AI is “one of the most significant trends in society” and needs to be addressed.He also rejected the notion th...