San José AI Policy
San José AI Policy (City Policy Manual 1.7.12) and Generative AI Guidelines
San Jose, CA · City of San José Policy Manual § 1.7.12; GenAI Guidelines (2023, as updated)
- Status
- In effect
- Applies to
- City of San José employees, departments, and AI vendors contracting with the city
- Enforced by
- City of San José IT Department (Digital Privacy Office / Privacy and AI team)
San José adopted a citywide AI policy and generative AI guidelines governing how city staff use AI tools. Employees must register AI uses with the city's Privacy and AI team, may not let AI make actionable decisions about residents (like approving applications), and must review AI outputs. San José also founded the GovAI Coalition, whose AI policy templates have been adopted by 100+ public agencies.
Who is protected: San José residents affected by city AI use
Legal detail
City Policy Manual § 1.7.12 (AI Policy) and the San José Generative AI Guidelines (first released July 2023) govern city employee and vendor AI use, including use reporting, human review, and an AI review process; templates shared nationally via the GovAI Coalition.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | San Jose, CA |
|---|---|
| Level | City / local |
| Strength | Limited |
| Citation | City of San José Policy Manual § 1.7.12; GenAI Guidelines (2023, as updated) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Topics | government use of AI · AI disclosure and transparency · automated decision-making · consumer data privacy |
| Agency page | San José AI Guidelines and Policies — City of San José |
More AI rules in San Jose, CA
- San Jose ALPR 30-day retention safeguards (2026) · In effect
- San Jose GenAI Guidelines · In effect
- Santa Clara County CA Office of Education · In effect
- San Jose AI Reviews Board · In effect
- CAIR-CA v. San Jose (Flock ALPR) dismissed (2026) · Blocked / in litigation
Related government use of AI rules elsewhere
- CA EO N-6-26 (AI Workforce) · In effect
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Arkansas public entity AI/ADS policy mandate (Act 848, 2025) · In effect
- Inver Grove Heights MN data center moratorium amended under lawsuit (2026) · In effect
- FERC order directing PJM and other grid operators to reform tariffs on… · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- San Marcos citywide data center ban (Land Use Matrix amendment) · In effect
See something wrong or out of date? Submit a correction. Every entry must carry a verifiable source.