Politics
New York officials press Washington for AI regulation amid growing safety concerns
PN Team • 2 months ago
New York political leaders are calling on the federal government to act quickly on artificial intelligence oversight, following warnings from AI lab CEOs about potential risks from unchecked development. Mayor Zohran Mamdani called recent AI warnings "incredibly alarming" and said the city would explore protective measures, while Gov. Kathy Hochul urged Washington to set national standards prioritizing public safety over the race to build more powerful AI systems. President Trump has dismissed such concerns as a "hoax" and opposes new regulation, citing competition with China.
New York City and State have already taken steps, including the RAISE Act, a one-year data center moratorium, and a ban on AI chatbots for young students, but a state comptroller audit and a city public advocate report both found more oversight is needed. The debate has also become a flashpoint in competitive congressional races, with data center policy emerging as an attack line, and Assemblymember Alex Bores launching a multimillion-dollar push to unify Democrats around AI regulation.
Sources:
Sentiment
- Donald Trump Trump is portrayed dismissing AI safety concerns as a "hoax," casting him as obstructive on a public safety issue.
- Kathy Hochul Hochul is portrayed positively as urging national safety standards over unchecked AI development.
- Zohran Mamdani Mamdani is depicted as proactively responsive to AI risks, calling for protective measures.
- New York (state) New York State is portrayed as proactive on AI regulation with concrete measures like the RAISE Act.
- State governments of the United States State governments, including New York, are shown taking proactive regulatory steps on AI.
- Democratic Party (United States) Assemblymember Bores is working to unify Democrats around AI regulation, a mildly proactive but factual mention.