New York City introduces bill to publicize AI tools used by city agencies

This week, Jennifer Gutiérrez, a New York City Councilmember is introducing a bill that seeks to require the city to come up with a list of artificial intelligence tools that have been approved for use by its agencies. This list, which is set to be available to the public by February 1, 2025, is intended to create awareness and transparency regarding the artificial intelligence tools in use across different departments of the city.

The suggested legislation seeks to increase the public’s awareness of the city’s use of AI technologies. Gutiérrez pointed out that the purpose is such that New Yorkers are quite aware of how these technologies are affecting their lives – especially concerning the use of their data. The list will also promote responsibility and help agencies collaborate more effectively when using AI tools.

New York City moves to boost AI accountability and foster collaboration

The legislation requires that a description of the data to which every AI application accesses should be included. Gutiérrez explained that this will tell the public what sorts of decisions city agencies will be making based on the data. This ensures that people are notified of how AI is being useful — or not useful to them. Additionally, this list shall be updated every six months, although there could be more regular updates based on the responses’ feedback at a regular hearing.

By making this information available to the public, the legislation looks to address the existing void in understanding how AI is utilized within the city. Gutiérrez claims that neither the council nor the public completely understands what AI tools are used and for what purpose. This bill will bridge that gap and lay the foundation for cultivating better communication between agencies that ordinarily do not collaborate.

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Another critical feature of the law is its potential ability to save resources that would have otherwise been spent on ineffective AI applications. The move to make the list public and transparent will help the city in justifying its expenditure to the New Yorkers. The list could be novel as simple as a spreadsheet or could be a more complex tracking mechanism that advances with the introduction of new AI tools.

This legislation, unlike previous attempts to regulate the use of AI, does not intend to limit the tools that agencies use. However, it seeks accountability, requiring that the use of these tools is purposeful and well-justified for the city residents. It is anticipated that such an approach will enable the city to avoid incurring costs on tools that are useless to the public.

The bill’s introduction comes in pace with the developments being made about artificial intelligence in the City of New York. After its introduction, there will be a hearing to explore the new legislation and other AI bills related to this legislation. The council seeks to hear evidence from city officials and the public before amendment and final voting of this bill.