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New York Assemblymember Alex Bores, who led the state's push to regulate artificial intelligence before losing a bid for Congress, says he wants another shot at Big Tech regulation before leaving office and would back a special legislative session in Albany. Bores argues New York should stop deferring to California on AI standards, pointing to his state's tech talent and his own $30 million group aimed at shaping a Democratic AI agenda. Governor Kathy Hochul's office says no special session is currently planned, even as California Governor Gavin Newsom has floated recalling lawmakers to Sacramento and signed an executive order to speed up enforcement of AI safety laws, including a possible "kill switch" requirement for advanced models.

The state-level activity comes as public alarm over AI risks grows, fueled partly by warnings from within the industry itself and a widespread expectation that Congress will not act soon. New York regulators recently ordered utilities to report AI usage, and Attorney General Letitia James has urged AI company employees to report rule violations. Democratic state lawmakers returning to Albany in January are weighing options and bracing for tech-industry pushback.