THE CRUNCH
New York has launched the nation's first state-run AI testing programme, tasking independent researchers with evaluating advanced AI systems rather than relying on companies to police themselves. Governor Kathy Hochul announced the New York Center for AI Responsibility and Research, based at Binghamton University, on Tuesday. "The stakes are too high to simply take AI companies at their word," Hochul said in a press release.
More than 80 New York scientists will contribute to the centre's work, using computing power from Empire AI, the state's $500 million public-private AI partnership. The centre will test advanced AI systems, study their risks and provide evidence to inform public officials' decisions, as well as examine how AI can be used responsibly in areas like medicine and scientific discovery. It will also work with the state's new DIGIT office, which will implement the RAISE Act and oversee large frontier AI labs.
The launch coincides with the opening of a registration portal under the RAISE Act, which requires large frontier developers, defined as companies with more than $500 million in annual revenue, to register by January 1, 2027. From that date, firms such as OpenAI and Anthropic must publish safety frameworks and model transparency reports, and report critical safety incidents within 72 hours. Penalties can reach $1 million for a single violation and $3 million for subsequent ones.
One gap remains: the centre can only study what AI companies disclose publicly. Other states are moving in a similar direction, with California's SB 53 already requiring frontier labs to publish safety frameworks and Illinois' SB 315, effective from the start of 2027, adding independent safety compliance audits.