▲ OpenAI and Anthropic
Amid growing concerns over artificial intelligence safety, the New York City Council has decided to hold a special hearing summoning major AI companies including OpenAI and Anthropic.
Following its restriction of AI use in schools, New York City is actively stepping up its AI regulatory discussions by examining safety issues involving AI companies.
According to the New York Times (NYT) on the 16th (local time), JULIE Menin, Chair of the New York City Council, plans to hold a public hearing regarding the risks of AI on October 5.
The previous day, Council Member Menin sent letters to Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, requesting company officials to attend the hearing.
In the letters sent to the two CEOs, she explained the background of the hearing, stating, "There are continuous and concerning reports showing the potential for AI to cause unprecedented catastrophic damage," and "The need for the City Council to urgently review effective and rational legislation is self-evident."
However, the two companies have not yet released a stance or response regarding the matter.
This hearing will be conducted in a committee of the whole format, in which all committees of the New York City Council participate and all 51 council members can attend.
This is the first time the New York City Council is holding a hearing in a committee of the whole format since inspecting the city authorities' service delivery status for immigrants in 2022.
This is interpreted as carrying symbolic meaning that the City Council will address the AI issue as an urgent and significant pending issue.
New York City authorities are also paying attention to the impact of AI on the job market.
According to a report recently released by New York think tank Center for an Urban Future, entry-level tech jobs in New York City have decreased by 49% since 2022.
New York City Comptroller Mark Levin cited this report and stated that, for the first time in New York history, the number of new computer science graduates has exceeded the number of entry-level tech jobs, with currently about 1.6 new graduates per single job opening.
Previously, New York City has been actively moving forward with AI regulations, such as announcing earlier this month that it would ban students from 3-K (New York City's program for 3-year-olds) to the 8th grade (ages 13 to 14) from using generative AI.
The measures at the time included blocking access to generative AI apps such as ChatGPT and Gemini in schools and prohibiting the use of auxiliary chatbots.
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