New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday launched a state research institute to test advanced artificial intelligence systems and opened a registration portal for AI developers.
The governor’s office said the New York Center for AI Responsibility and Research will independently test advanced AI systems for safety and security. Hochul said the state must step up to hold developers accountable, stating that the federal government has not taken the dangers of AI seriously.
Housed at the State University of New York’s Binghamton University, the center will bring together about 80 scientists and researchers. Greg Morrisett, dean of Cornell Tech, and Jeanette Wing, executive vice president for research at Columbia University, will serve as interim directors for the institute.
The governor said the researchers will use computing power created through the state’s Empire AI initiative to analyze powerful AI models.
Alongside the research center, the state opened a registration portal for large frontier AI developers. Under the RAISE Act, an AI safety law signed last year, developers must register in the portal by Jan. 1.
Beginning in January, the law requires companies to comply with transparency standards, disclose their safety protocols and report critical safety instances, according to the governor. Hochul said companies that do not follow the rules will face civil penalties.
The registration portal will give the state visibility into the inner workings of AI companies, Hochul said, allowing the new research institute to scrutinize developer operations. While many AI developers have promised to advance responsibly, the state cannot rely solely on their word, according to the governor.
Hochul added that she plans to outline new ways to expand the state’s AI safety laws in the coming weeks so the state can take concrete action if regulators spot a problem, aiming to build a national model for regulation.