New York state government agencies will have to conduct audits and publish reports detailing how they use artificial intelligence programs, under a new law signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Hochul, a Democrat, signed the bill last week after state lawmakers passed it earlier this year.
The law requires state agencies to conduct evaluations of any program that uses algorithms, computational models, or artificial intelligence techniques, and then submit those reviews to the governor and senior legislative leaders and post them online.
It also prohibits the use of artificial intelligence in certain situations, such as an automated decision on whether someone is receiving unemployment benefits or child care assistance, unless the system is continuously monitored by a human.
Amid the rapid global advancement and diffusion of artificial intelligence technologies, the federal government has invested millions to merge the minds of three existing institutes into one that can monitor potential dangers ahead.
The law protects workers from limiting working hours due to artificial intelligence
State employees would also be protected from having their work hours or job duties restricted due to AI under the law, addressing key concerns raised by critics against generative AI.
State Sen. Christine Gonzalez, a Democrat who sponsored the bill, called the law an important step in putting some barriers in how emerging technology is used in state government.
Experts have long called for greater regulation of generative AI as the technology spreads more widely.
Some of the biggest concerns raised by critics, aside from job security, include security concerns over personal information, and that AI could amplify misinformation due to its tendency to invent facts, replicate false statements and its ability to create close-to-reality portrayals of claims.
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