Q&A
Council Member Julie Menin questions OTI on AI governance and responsible use
0:14:31
·
3 min
Council Member Julie Menin engages in a heated discussion with Alex Foard from the Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) regarding the lack of rules for fair and responsible use of AI tools in city agencies. Menin expresses disappointment with OTI's stance and emphasizes the need for stronger oversight and protection for New Yorkers.
- Menin criticizes OTI's reluctance to promulgate rules on fair and responsible AI use, citing concerns about outdated regulations
- Discussion touches on the reporting requirements under Local Law 35 and the need for flexibility in AI governance
- Menin raises concerns about unreported AI tools, such as the DOE's use of Teach to 1360
Julie Menin
0:14:31
I think you're and then And if you're doing actually have another hearing.
0:14:34
I know.
0:14:34
Thank you, Chris.
0:14:35
Kind.
0:14:35
Thank you so much.
0:14:36
Okay.
0:14:36
Thank you, chair for for doing that.
0:14:38
I so appreciate it.
0:14:39
I'll be very quick.
0:14:40
So I just have to say in all candor in reading your testimony, I I frankly found it shocking, that you are testifying, that you don't wanna promulgate rules on fair and responsible use because you worry they'd be outdated.
0:14:54
The whole point of fair and responsible use is to ensure that the AI tools, that the various city government agencies are using or done in a responsible way.
0:15:04
Rulemaking does not need to be rigid.
0:15:06
On the contrary, you could have a rulemaking that builds in the flexibility for changing technology.
0:15:12
So could you talk about why you believe it is responsible for your agency to not promulgate such rules?
Alex Foard
0:15:19
Yeah.
0:15:19
Thank you for the question.
0:15:20
We very much share the goal of the idea around the responsible and fair use.
0:15:25
Our feeling is that commitments that we have in the action plan speak to the incremental steps that we need to take to build out that policy further.
0:15:33
And where we are in that process has very very much shown that we need as much flexibility as possible to be able to keep pace with the rapid pace of change of the technology itself.
0:15:45
So our focus right now is really understanding the complicated interplay between existing oversight frameworks that already govern the agency's use of technology, the sorts of goals that we're trying to accomplish, accomplish for risk management for AI, particularly, and then the processes that we need to be able to put that all in place.
Julie Menin
0:16:04
I just find that to be an abdication of the agency's duty to make sure that you are employing fair and responsible use.
0:16:11
And can you explain, for example, the example I gave in my opening statement was that the DOE was using an AI tool called Teach to 1360, but we found that that tool was not reported to the algorithms management and policy office under the mayor's office of operations as was supposed to be required under executive order 50.
0:16:29
So if things like that aren't being reported, how can we, as a counsel, have confidence that that you're doing what you need to be doing to really make sure that there's fair and responsible use?
0:16:39
And
Alex Foard
0:16:39
I appreciate the question.
0:16:40
And, again, we definitely share the outcomes and the and the perspective goals of that.
0:16:44
I think our feeling is that as a function of both local law 35, which already does mandate a lot of the reporting of the type you're describing, as well as our other commitments to build out policy see through the channels that we have at our disposal right now that that's our best option for building out this existing government or the future governance that we need.
Julie Menin
0:17:01
Okay.
0:17:02
I mean, I'm gonna end my questioning by just saying I'm disappointed.
0:17:05
I mean, I think as a chair mentioned in her opening statement, we have so many council members who have put in for AI bills.
0:17:11
We all recognize the importance in cutting edge nature of AI.
0:17:14
It's obviously so important, and we're not we're certainly not looking to stifle innovation.
0:17:18
But at the same time, our obligation is to protect New Yorkers.
0:17:22
And if we've got 70 city agencies, various ones are using AI, and we need to ensure that it's done in a fair and responsible way.
0:17:29
So I just don't understand why you would testify against a very common sense attempt to do so.
0:17:34
But chair, thank you so much for letting me speak person.
0:17:37
Forward to hearing about the rest of your hearing.
Theo Chino
0:17:39
Thank
