“I applaud Governor Hochul’s investment in the New York Center for AI Responsibility and Research, and we must pair these investments with robust regulations that hold companies accountable and address the very real harms AI systems are causing today. Publicly-backed, independent research in AI safety is necessary to protect the public from the potential risks caused by AI models without proper guardrails and safety concerns. These models are being developed by companies seeking to profit enormously without regard for public safety or the public good. These companies cannot be the only source of knowledge about AI frontier models, and they cannot dictate the terms of developing this new technology.

The dangers from AI do not exist only at the level of catastrophic risk, and we cannot ignore the harms that are being caused by algorithmic bias, job displacement, environmental impacts, and misinformation. Last month, Governor Hochul signed my bill, S9051B/A10379 with Assemblymember Alex Bores, that protects minors from unsafe features on AI chatbots. This is the strongest legislation in the country regulating AI chatbots, and I am proud that New York is leading the way with this regulation. However, there is more work to do. We are still hearing horror stories of AI chatbots providing medical advice that is inaccurate and leading to severe injury and fatality. I have sponsored many bills on this topic, and I urge Governor Hochul to sign my bill S934A/A3411 with Assemblymember Clyde Vanel that would require AI chatbots to disclose the information they are providing is not accurate. 

I also sponsor the New York AI Act, a comprehensive set of regulations for the private sector to address the risks associated with AI use. The bill addresses algorithmic bias by requiring audits and risk assessments, and importantly requires human oversight of consequential decision-making. Big Tech looks to shirk responsibility for the outcomes of their models, and this legislation is essential for creating liability and structures of accountability while placing guardrails on harmful use cases. 

The harms of AI may not be more immediately felt than in the unregulated proliferation of data centers in our communities. I was proud to partner with Governor Hochul on announcing the first in the nation statewide moratorium on data centers earlier this year. My bill, the Responsible Data Center Development Act (S10642/A11560) with Assemblymember Didi Barrett, goes further than the moratorium and places regulations on any future data center development, including public engagement and benefits, transparency, renewable energy standards, and project labor agreements. Governor Hochul can sign this bill and make sure that if Big Tech wants to come on our turf, they have to do it on our terms.

The public sector must be leading on AI safety and direct this technology toward beneficial uses that serve the public good, not to line the pockets of tech oligarchs and billionaires.”