REMARKS
Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez opens hearing on AI and automated decision systems in NYC
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3 min
Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez opens a hearing on artificial intelligence (AI) and automated decision systems in New York City. She emphasizes the need for transparency, fairness, and oversight in the implementation of AI across various city agencies. Gutiérrez also introduces several bills aimed at regulating and monitoring AI use in the city.
- Highlights the use of AI in critical areas such as education, child welfare, and law enforcement
- Expresses concerns about incomplete reporting from agencies on their AI usage
- Introduces four new bills (Intro 199, 926, 1024, and 1099) related to AI governance and transparency
Jennifer Gutiérrez
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Thank you.
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Good afternoon, everyone.
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Thank you for your patience.
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Counsel member Jennifer Gutierrez chair of the Committee on Technology.
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Today, we examined how artificial intelligence and automated decision systems are reshaping our city services.
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New York City stands at a technological crossroads.
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While the office of technology and innovation has published and updated artificial intelligence principles and definitions, AI action plan principles, but these are these are principles.
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The brilliant minds have been assembled in the advisory network, but expertise without implementation is merely academic exercise.
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Look across our city.
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The Department of Education uses algorithms to match our children to schools, administration for children services, predictive analytics to flag potential child welfare cases, and the NYPD utilize is facial recognition to identify people.
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Each of these systems makes decisions that can alter the trajectory of a New Yorker's life.
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Yet when we ask agencies about their AI usage, we get incomplete answers with some openly acknowledging gaps in their reporting.
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This isn't just about technology.
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It's about trust.
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When an algorithm decides which school a child attends or when automated systems influence service deliveries, we're not just processing data, we're processing people's lives.
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If AI is the engine driving our city's future, then transparency must be our headlights.
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Without it, we're driving blind.
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The surgeon AI, ledge nationwide with over 300 bills introduced this year alone shows we're not the only ones appling with these challenges.
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But New York City has always led by example.
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We can't afford to follow.
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We must chart the course.
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Today, I expect concrete answers to our questions about current ADS and AI deployments measures for ensuring transparency and fairness protocols for addressing bias, plans for building expertise, current audits and mechanisms for community input and oversight.
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The promise of AI is efficiency, but the price cannot be equity or safety.
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We must ensure both.
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Let me be clear.
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This hearing isn't about slowing innovation.
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It's about ensuring innovation serves all New Yorkers.
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It's about ensuring innovations serves all new Yorkers.
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While the private sector members of the advisory network bring valuable expertise, we need to hear from those on the ground.
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The caseworkers, teachers, and community members who live with these systems decisions daily.
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In a city of 8,800,000 stories, we cannot let algorithms become anonymous authors of our resident's futures.
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Today's hearing must bridge the gap between AI's promise and its practice between Silicon Valley and Innovations and South Queen's realities between big data and basic dignity.
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We'll also hear intro 199, a local law in relation to establishing an office of algorithmic data integrity.
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Intro 926, a local law in relation to requiring the creation of appropriate and responsible use practice for artificial intelligence tools.
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Intro 1024, a local law in relation to requiring a centralized list of artificial intelligence tools approved to be used by city agencies and intro 1099 in relation to wiring reporting on the impact of algorithmic tools on city employees and changes in employment responsibilities due to algorithmic tools.
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I'd like to thank the tech committee staff policy analyst Eric Brown, ledge counsel Irene by and my chief of staff, Anilir, for their work in preparing this crucial hearing.
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I'd also like to recognize the committee members who are joining us today.
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Thank you, council member Paladino.
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Happy birthday.
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And I'd also like to acknowledge council member Julie Bannon, who is going to deliver her statement about intro 926.
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Tell us, Emma.
