NY Passes AI Safety Bill to Prevent Disasters
New York Takes Historic Step in AI Regulation
New York lawmakers made history this week by passing the RAISE Act, America’s first state-level legislation designed to prevent frontier AI models from causing catastrophic events. The bill specifically targets scenarios that could result in 100+ fatalities, serious injuries, or over $1 billion in damages.
Key Provisions of the RAISE Act
The legislation introduces several critical requirements for major AI developers:
- Mandatory safety reports on advanced AI systems
- Immediate reporting of security incidents like model theft or dangerous behaviors
- $30M penalties for non-compliance
A Balanced Approach to AI Safety
Sponsor Senator Andrew Gounardes emphasized the bill’s measured approach: “We’re running out of time to implement AI guardrails as this technology evolves at breakneck speed. The experts warn these risks are real and alarming.”
Unlike California’s controversial SB 1047 (which was vetoed), the RAISE Act explicitly avoids imposing innovation-stifling requirements like mandatory “kill switches” or holding companies liable for third-party misuse of their models.
Industry Response and Controversy
The tech industry has pushed back aggressively, with Andreessen Horowitz’s Anjney Midha calling the bill “another stupid state-level AI regulation.” However, supporters argue the legislation only affects companies spending over $100 million on model training – effectively targeting just the largest players like Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic.
Potential Impacts
Critics worry developers might restrict access to advanced AI in New York, mirroring European tech restrictions. But Assemblymember Alex Bores counters: “With New York’s massive economy, most companies can’t afford to leave.”
The bill now awaits Governor Kathy Hochul’s signature. If enacted, New York would leap ahead of the federal government in establishing binding AI transparency standards for the world’s most powerful AI systems.
As AI capabilities accelerate, this legislation represents a significant test case for balancing innovation with crucial safety measures in one of America’s most important tech markets.