AB 2876: How California's Approach to AI Education is Unique
Kendall Lichtenstein
As the world around us becomes increasingly reliant and centered around Artificial Intelligence, states throughout the US are passing legislation to try to teach students how to learn and work in this ever changing society. In passing AB 2876 California has taken a unique approach to Artificial Intelligence education, one that other states should work to replicate.
The necessity for media and AI literacy is widely agreed upon. According to a study done by the News Literacy Project, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization, 94% of teens say that they believe schools should be required to teach media literacy. Many states have passed legislation in response to this need. According to Media Literacy Now, a national nonpartisan nonprofit organization, 25 states have passed media literacy laws. Despite this, though, California’s AB 2876 serves as a unique, unreplicated piece of legislation.
AB 2876 was signed by Governor Newsom on September 29th 2024 and formally took effect on January 1st of 2025. The bill requires AI literacy to be woven into core curriculum classes in California public schools. It makes California the only state to legally integrate learning with AI into common core classes. In contrast, states such as Indiana, Alabama, Texas, and Florida laws require students to complete courses that are designated, as specifically for media literacy. The route California has taken, though, is uniquely effective, and other states should follow suit. As the California Department of Education states, “California’s approach emphasizes both learning about AI… and learning with AI, ensuring students and educators use emerging tools effectively and ethically.” The report says that, “This dual focus prepares TK–12 learners not only to navigate an AI-driven world, but to shape it.” As students prepare to enter into the work force, many of their jobs, in many different industries, will require an adequate knowledge on how to best utilize advancing technologies. A student who is currently being taught in the classroom may become a scientist, and may need to utilize AI to enhance their research process. Therefore, having a better understanding of how AI can be integrated into subjects like science, social studies, and math, instead of just knowing what AI is, is extremely helpful. Additionally, AI being better integrated throughout a student's educational experience allows them to learn more than having one specific media literacy course near the end of their high school education. Studies have shown that Artificial Intelligence education early in a child’s education exponentially improves their career preparedness later down the line.
Furthermore, the fact that AB 2876 mandates this curriculum integration statewide, means the bill allows for a more equitable education experience statewide, therefore making it essential to prevent new digital divides. AI education is vital, and other states should use a strategy more similar to that of California's, AB 2876, as it better prepares students for their future experiences in the workforce.
Government Technology Center for Digital Education
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