California bans AI neuro-monitoring and emotion tracking of workers

California has enacted legislation prohibiting employers from using artificial intelligence to monitor employee brain activity or track emotions through biometric sensors. The new law explicitly bans the use of video, audio, geolocation, and electromagnetic tracking technologies intended to infer mental states or manipulate worker behavior. This regulatory action targets emerging neurotechnology applications in workplace management and productivity assessment. Legal experts identify this as the first comprehensive US restriction on cognitive surveillance in employment settings. The measure prevents companies from utilizing neural data to evaluate performance or enforce compliance. Labor advocates argue the ban protects fundamental privacy rights against invasive corporate overreach. Technology vendors must now reconfigure workforce analytics tools to ensure compliance with these biometric restrictions. The legislation takes effect immediately, creating significant liability risks for non-compliant employers utilizing affective computing systems. Industry groups warn the broad definitions may inadvertently restrict legitimate safety monitoring equipment.