New York starts enforcing its AI safety law for big AI makers

In short: New York has opened a registration portal and is preparing to enforce a new AI safety law that will require large AI developers to share safety plans and report serious problems.

What happened

New York state says it is getting ready to enforce the RAISE Act, a law focused on safety and transparency for advanced AI systems. On Tuesday, the state opened an online registration portal. Companies that build large, advanced AI systems, including OpenAI and Anthropic, will be required to register by January 1, 2027.

The law applies to large “frontier” AI developers, meaning companies with more than $500 million in annual revenue. It requires them to publish their safety frameworks on their websites. A safety framework is basically the company’s written plan for how it tries to prevent harm (like a restaurant posting its food safety rules).

Companies will also need to report “critical safety incidents” within 72 hours and publish public transparency reports about their AI models. A new state office called the Office of Digital Innovation, Governance, Integrity, and Trust, or DIGIT, will oversee enforcement. Fines can reach $1 million for a first violation and $3 million for later violations.

Governor Kathy Hochul also announced a New York Center for AI Responsibility and Research at SUNY Binghamton. The center will independently evaluate the safety and security of advanced AI systems and work with DIGIT to review company safety plans.

Why it matters

AI tools are being used in more places, including schools, workplaces, and health services. New York’s rules are meant to make the biggest AI companies explain how they manage risks and quickly disclose serious failures, so problems are not hidden until after people are harmed.

Source: TechCrunch AI