Technology

A view of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant complex, showing two large concrete domes and several industrial buildings. The scene is shot from the water in the bay, showing the surrounding infrastructure near a cliff. The sky is overcast and slightly foggy.

Economy

California taxpayers gave PG&E a huge, supposedly safe loan. The losses are already mounting

Gov. Gavin Newsom assured lawmakers federal funds would eventually cover a $1.4 billion loan to keep the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant open. They could fall $588 million short.

By

Malena Carollo

• August 12, 2025

Illustration of a hand holding a magnifying glass over a group of opt out web pages labeled with phrases like "Opt Out" or "Delete My Data"; the magnifying glass shows a dashed outline of those browser windows, conveying that they are concealed

Technology

You have a right to delete your data. Some companies are making it extra difficult

Dozens of companies are hiding how you can delete your personal data, The Markup and CalMatters found. After our reporters reached out for comment, multiple companies have stopped the practice.

By

Colin Lecher

and

Tomas Apodaca

• August 12, 2025

Education

Free AI training comes to California colleges — but at what cost?

Google, Microsoft, Adobe and IBM will offer AI-related tools to California's schools and universities in an effort to prepare the state’s students for a changing economy.

By

Adam Echelman

• August 11, 2025

Solar panels mounted on the roof of a house surrounded by trees, with soft sunlight filtering through the branches. The house has a shingle roof, brick exterior, and white window shutters, partially visible through the foliage.

Economy

California Supreme Court hands victory to rooftop solar panel owners

Justices told a lower court to revisit their decision to uphold cuts of 75 percent to payments for solar panel owners.

By

Malena Carollo

• August 7, 2025

A person uses a smartphone to browse an online clothing store. The screen displays a product page for a denim jacket with a shearling collar priced at $219. The individual is about to tap the "Buy it now" button, with one hand holding the phone and the other poised to make the selection. The background is softly blurred, suggesting a home setting with natural light filtering in through windows.

Politics

Should Lyft and Uber charge more if your battery is low? California may soon ban that

California lawmakers want to ban companies from using data about consumers’ devices like battery life, model and geolocation to set fluctuating prices. Proponents say such “surveillance pricing” is discriminatory.

By

Maya C. Miller

• August 4, 2025

Two students sit at a round classroom table focused on writing. One is writing on white paper while the other holds a bright orange sheet with notes. A bottle of water and an energy drink sit on the table. A whiteboard with faint writing and a canister of cleaning spray are visible in the background.

Higher Education

It’s not just about cheating. How AI is quietly eroding college students’ networks

Chatbots may give students quick answers when they have questions, but they won’t help students form relationships that matter for college and life success.

By

Tara García Mathewson

• July 16, 2025

Several individuals wearing protective gear and helmets work together to dig a firebreak in a forested area. Flames burn nearby, casting an orange glow on the scene, as smoke rises through the trees.

Technology

California launched an AI chatbot for wildfires. It can’t answer one crucial question

The bot fails at some basic questions about fires. Cal Fire says it is working on fixes.

By

Malena Carollo

• July 9, 2025

Technology

Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ is an unexpected win for California AI watchdogs

In the end, both Republicans and Democrats helped doom a 10-year moratorium on state artificial intelligence laws after it cleared the House.

By

Ryan Tate

• July 1, 2025

An illustration in pink and dark purple tones that shows the silhouette of a student holding a piece of paper as they stand in the middle of a cyberspace grid. A white paper with highlighted text can be seen in the background behind the student as pink boxes with exclamation points float around.

Higher Education

Costly and unreliable: AI and plagiarism detectors wreak havoc in higher ed

Colleges and universities renew Turnitin subscriptions year after year even though its flawed detectors are expensive and require students to let the company keep their papers forever.

By

Tara García Mathewson

• June 26, 2025

An instructor wearing a mask stands at the front of a classroom, gesturing while speaking to students seated at round tables. A projected slide behind the instructor displays a chart titled “Creating Your Synthesis Chart,” outlining how to organize sources and main ideas. The image is framed by two blurred vertical objects in the foreground, giving the perspective of someone observing through a narrow space.

Higher Education

Why are California colleges paying different prices for the same AI plagiarism tool?

Experts say companies often base their pricing on what they think colleges are willing to pay.

By

Tara García Mathewson

• June 26, 2025