The legislation, slated for introduction on Sept. 12 by Councilmember Gutiérrez, would require this list to be publicly availably by Feb. 1, with Gutiérrez noting the goal is for New York to be on the "cutting edge of AI."
The city has recently taken several steps on AI governance, including the October release of an AI Action Plan and the March publication of guiding principles for AI use. Experts argue that a key piece of responsible AI use is transparency, which this new bill would establish.
Gutiérrez said that the members of the City Council, as well as members of the community, do not currently have a comprehensive understanding of which AI tools are currently in use by city agencies or why. The establishment of a public list aims to make the city’s AI use transparent, and through that transparency, create accountability.
It will also help bridge the gap between agencies that traditionally do not work with one another, establishing a foundation for improved collaboration.
The list would require the inclusion of a description of the data to which an AI tool would require access. This, Gutiérrez said, would contribute to public awareness of how the city is using New Yorkers’ data, and so the public could hold the city accountable to ensure they are serving residents well with that data.
“We don't want a city of people left in the dark about how this is affecting them and how this is serving them — or not,” she said.
The list will be updated every six months, according to the legislation. When a hearing is scheduled, it is possible that this timeline may be amended to enable more frequent updates.
If the legislation passes, the lists that are created could be as simple as a spreadsheet, or they could involve something more complex like a tracking system to include new tools as they are adopted.
This legislation differs from some previously introduced bills, said Gutiérrez, in that in the past legislation attempted to “rein in” the city’s AI use. This legislation takes a different approach, not restricting the use of any approved AI tools, provided that city agencies use them transparently.
Another benefit of this legislation, she said, is that it will help to prevent overspending on tools that are not effective.
“It has to serve a purpose,” Gutiérrez said. “It has to have — in my opinion — a purpose that we can justify to New Yorkers as to why we’re investing in it.”
So, what’s next for this legislation? After being introduced this week, the aim will be to get a hearing scheduled to address this topic, in addition to several other AI-related bills. The goal is to build buy-in on the legislation so that both city administration and members of the public will testify to inform amendments. After the hearing, depending on the level of support, a vote will follow.
As Gutiérrez noted, the issue of AI is “ever-evolving,” and the council is taking steps to ensure the city’s governance meets New Yorkers’ changing needs in the face of this technology.
