To her credit, Governor Kathy Hochul has signed the RAISE Act. This moves New York to become the second state in the U.S. to adopt crucial regulations for artificial intelligence safety. As we wrote in June, state lawmakers passed landmark legislation. This new law is a necessary first step toward avoiding the catastrophe that lies in wait with unregulated AI technology.
The RAISE Act sets high standards for companies working on AI frontier models. Under this law, businesses must submit safety reports detailing their AI systems or face fines of up to $1 million for initial violations. Subsequent violations are punishable by fines up to $3 million. In her announcement, Governor Hochul heralded California’s similar law, which was signed into action by Governor Gavin Newsom. She highlighted the need for a coordinated strategy between the top tech states.
In her announcement, Governor Hochul expressed the importance of the RAISE Act, stating, “This law builds on California’s recently adopted framework, creating a unified benchmark among the country’s leading tech states as the federal government lags behind, failing to implement common-sense regulations that protect the public.”
The passage of the RAISE Act follows a growing recognition of the need for transparency and accountability in AI development. OpenAI and Anthropic, two giants in the AI field, have both publicly expressed their support for New York’s move. Both companies have already heralded federal legislation to supplement state efforts, insisting that safety should be the goal everywhere.
As a final point, Sarah Heck, Anthropic’s head of external affairs, stressed the importance of these advances. She remarked, “The fact that two of the largest states in the country have now enacted AI transparency legislation signals the critical importance of safety and should inspire Congress to build on them.”
New York City State Senator Andrew Gounardes, who has long supported the RAISE Act’s passage. He claimed that legislators largely fought off opposition from big tech companies. He stated, “Big Tech thought they could weasel their way into killing our bill. We shut them down and passed the strongest AI safety law in the country.”
Fortunately, this timely introduction comes amidst a nationwide discussion on the need for AI regulation. Former President Donald Trump signed an AI executive order that called on federal agencies to preempt state-level AI regulation. This action exemplifies the longer-term tensions between state and federal governance in relation to emerging technologies.
New York has the opportunity to help lead the nation in AI safety by passing the RAISE Act. We hope this move serves as a strong model for other states to follow. This new legislation does an important job of protecting the public interest. It further encourages a framework for responsible AI development throughout the country.