ALBANY, N.Y. — New legislation recently enacted in New York mandates state government entities to evaluate and report on their utilization of artificial intelligence software. This law was approved by Governor Kathy Hochul, a member of the Democratic Party, and came into effect after being passed by the state’s lawmakers earlier this year.

The new regulation requires state agencies to carry out assessments of any technology that employs algorithms, computational models, or AI methodologies. These evaluations must be submitted to the governor along with prominent legislative leaders, and they are also required to be made publicly available online for transparency purposes.

Additionally, the legislation imposes restrictions on the use of AI in specific scenarios, particularly concerning automated decisions regarding the distribution of unemployment benefits or childcare assistance. Such decisions cannot be made by AI unless there is constant human oversight involved in the monitoring process.

Furthermore, the law provides protection for state employees, ensuring that their hours or job responsibilities cannot be altered or limited solely due to the implementation of AI technologies. State Senator Kristen Gonzalez, a Democrat, who sponsored the legislation, emphasized that this law is a significant stride toward establishing necessary boundaries for the application of emerging technologies within state governance.