On November 10, 2016 Governor Kathy Hochul launched a first-of-its-kind statewide effort to advance artificial intelligence science and safety – the New York Center for AI Responsibility and Research based at State University of New York’s (SUNY) Binghamton University. The Center will bring together unprecedented academic expertise to advance AI safety research, accelerate scientific discovery, and independently test advanced AI systems for safety and security.
“While the federal government fails to act, New York is leading the way on AI safety and holding big tech accountable,” Governor Hochul said. “The stakes are too high to simply take AI companies at their word. That's why we are bringing together our world-class researchers and the computing power of Empire AI to independently test powerful AI systems, understand their risks and put that knowledge to work protecting New Yorkers.”
Empire AI Board Chair Tom Secunda said, “New York is uniquely positioned to answer one of the defining challenges of our time: ensuring the world’s most powerful AI systems are safe, reliable, and grounded in rigorous science. We are harnessing the power of Empire AI and the collaborative strength of our academic institutions to advance AI research and open new paths to scientific discovery. Independent testing will help researchers understand what increasingly powerful systems can do and how to use them safely. ”
Greg Morrisett of Cornell Tech and Jeannette Wing of Columbia University, two internationally recognized leaders in computer science and cybersecurity, will lead the Center as interim co-directors. At the Governor’s direction, they will bring together more than 80 leading scientists from colleges and research institutions across New York State with expertise in AI safety, security and computer science. The Center, based at Binghamton University, will convene researchers to address AI safety issues and ensure New York is pushing forward not only AI innovation, but also security. The Center is supported by the advanced computing power of Empire AI, Governor Hochul’s $500 million public-private initiative to drive AI research for public good.
The New York Center for AI Responsibility and Research (NYCAIRR) will address the fundamental and growing challenge of assessing the safety, security, and operation of increasingly powerful AI systems. That mission will be pursued through independent testing of frontier AI systems, foundational scientific research, and the training of a new generation of AI safety experts. The Center will aim to evaluate both the safety of today's AI systems, and develop the scientific tools, measurements and standards needed to evaluate increasingly powerful systems as the technology evolves. Its work will help advance the responsible use of AI in fields ranging from medicine and scientific discovery to critical infrastructure, while providing public officials with objective evidence to inform policy decisions about AI safety and accountability.
The Center’s founding mission is to advance the science of AI and use AI to accelerate discoveries across scientific fields. The statewide initiative announced today builds on that foundation, supporting the Center’s research to independently evaluate advanced AI systems. Its research will focus on understanding how these increasingly powerful systems work, developing ways to test their safety and security, ensuring they behave as intended, and exploring how AI can be used responsibly to advance scientific discovery. One of the Center’s first objectives is a national recruiting effort for experts who focus on foundational limits and mathematical theory, formal methods and verification, agentic and complex systems, hardware security and privacy, interpretability and alignment, and scientific AI and biosecurity.
Governor Hochul first announced the New York Center for AI Responsibility and Research in January with a historic $30 million philanthropic gift from a group of donors led by Binghamton alumnus and Bloomberg LP co-founder Tom Secunda, paired with an initial $25 million research investment from SUNY and operating capital from New York State.
Morrisett, Dean and Vice Provost of Cornell Tech, and Wing, Executive Vice President for Research at Columbia University, have spent their careers studying how complex computing systems operate, where they can fail and how to make them more secure. As interim co-directors, they will guide the Center's scientific agenda, oversee its independent evaluation work, and help build a statewide network of researchers who will continue working at their home institutions.
Additionally, the new Office of Digital Innovation, Governance, Integrity, and Trust (DIGIT) launched its online portal for large frontier AI developers to register with New York State by January 1, 2027. Under the RAISE Act, all frontier AI developers operating in New York are subject to safety and transparency requirements, with additional obligations for large frontier developers. Large frontier developers are required to register through the newly released RAISE Portal by January 1, 2027. Beginning in January, large frontier developers will also be required to publish safety frameworks on their websites, and all frontier developers will be required to report critical safety incidents and publish model transparency reports. Additionally, DIGIT published a new website outlining requirements for frontier AI developers operating in the state.
This announcement builds on Governor Hochul’s nation-leading AI safety agenda, which also includes implementation of New York’s RAISE Act. Under that new law, large frontier AI developers will be required to register with the state and comply with strict safety, transparency and reporting requirements — including New York’s strongest-in-the-nation requirement to report any critical safety incident within 72 hours. The Governor also established the first-in-the-nation DIGIT Office to implement the RAISE Act and oversee large frontier AI Developers.
New York State Department of Financial Services Acting Superintendent Kaitlin Asrow said, “The New York Center for AI Responsibility and Research represents another important step in advancing AI safety. DFS is proud to lead the implementation of the RAISE Act through the new DIGIT Office. We look forward to working closely with the Center under Governor Hochul’s leadership.”
At the State’s request, NYCAIRR will be able to provide expertise, assessments and evidence that can assist in informing state policy making and oversight of frontier AI Developers. For example, NYCAIRR will coordinate with DIGIT to begin reviewing AI Developers’ published safety frameworks and providing recommendations on ways to strengthen requirements.
SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, “SUNY is at the cutting edge of advancing AI for the public good. Through Governor Hochul’s steadfast leadership and the Center for AI Responsibility and Research at the State University of New York at Binghamton, SUNY will help ensure New York State is a national and global leader in advancing AI safety and security.”
The SUNY Board of Trustees said, “As AI becomes ever more present in New Yorkers’ daily lives, we have a responsibility to ensure this technology is constantly evaluated and harnessed safely. SUNY is leading the way on research excellence, and through the strong support of Governor Hochul and with institutions like the Center for AI Responsibility and Research at the State University of New York at Binghamton, we will be better equipped to ensure that as AI advances, it will do so in safe and transparent ways that benefit New Yorkers.”
State University of New York at Binghamton President Anne D’Alleva said, “The Center for AI Responsibility and Research at the State University of New York at Binghamton will help New York State lead the nation in AI transparency and security. Thanks to the leadership of Governor Hochul and with gratitude to our alumnus Tom Secunda, Binghamton University is proud to host this transformative center and welcome the world-class researchers who will help us continue to serve as global leaders in advancing the public good.”
In the coming months, the Governor will continue exploring ways to build on the RAISE Act as part of ongoing efforts to further strengthen New York’s nation-leading AI safety laws and regulations.