Recently, New York Governor Kathy Hochul officially signed the highly anticipated Responsible Artificial Intelligence and Safety Education Act (RAISE Act). This move not only marks a substantive step for New York in AI regulation, but is also seen as a direct response to the federal government's recent attempt to weaken state-level regulatory policies.

AIbase learned that the core objective of this bill is to set safety boundaries for the world's most advanced AI models. The bill stipulates that starting from January 1, 2027, any AI development company with annual revenue exceeding $5 billion must disclose the details of its safety protocols and report any security incidents to the state government within 72 hours. To ensure the implementation of the system, New York will establish a dedicated oversight office within the Department of Financial Services to conduct annual assessments of developers.

Notably, the timing of this legislation is highly charged. Just days before the bill was signed, the White House issued an executive order aiming to centralize AI regulatory authority at the federal level, seeking to eliminate so-called "excessive state-level regulation." In response, New York took a firm stance, establishing a unified benchmark similar to California's, filling the gap in public safety regulation at the federal level.

Although the bill went through many twists and turns before final passage—such as the removal of an original provision banning the release of untested models, and the reduction of the fine cap from a higher amount to $3 million—the bill's sponsors stated that it still successfully upheld the bottom line of AI safety, thwarting some industry giants' attempts to completely eliminate regulation.

Key Points:

  • 🛡️ Safety Regulations: New York signed the RAISE Act, requiring AI giants with annual revenue over $5 billion to disclose their safety protocols and report accidents within 72 hours.

  • ⚔️ Policy Counteraction: This move is seen as a direct counterattack against the federal government's executive order to eliminate "excessive state-level regulation," with New York choosing to join forces with California to establish industry safety benchmarks.

  • ⚖️ Regulatory Balance: Although some stringent provisions were scaled back due to industry pressure, the bill still sets a maximum penalty of $3 million for violations and establishes a dedicated government audit mechanism.