Jonathan Cohen / Binghamton University / CC BY-SA 3.0
ALBANY – Governor Kathy Hochul launched the New York Center for AI Responsibility and Research at SUNY Binghamton Tuesday, bringing together more than 80 researchers across the state to independently test advanced artificial-intelligence systems and study their safety and security.
New York also opened a registration portal for large frontier AI developers operating in the state, ahead of a January 1, 2027 deadline under the RAISE Act, according to the Governor’s November 10 announcement.
Greg Morrisett of Cornell Tech and Jeannette Wing of Columbia University will serve as interim co-directors of the center, known as NYCAIRR. They will guide its scientific agenda and evaluation work while building a statewide network whose researchers continue working at their home institutions.
The center will use Empire AI computing resources for independent testing of frontier systems, foundational research and training for AI safety specialists. Its work is intended to develop tools, measurements and standards for evaluating increasingly powerful systems and to provide evidence that can inform public policy.
The launch is a research and testing initiative, not proof that any particular AI system is safe. The center’s planned work includes studying how systems operate, where they can fail and how to assess their security.
What developers must do: The Office of Digital Innovation, Governance, Integrity, and Trust, or DIGIT, has opened the RAISE registration portal. Large frontier developers operating in New York must register by January 1, 2027. Beginning in January, large frontier developers must also publish safety frameworks on their websites.
The reporting duties extend beyond large developers: all frontier AI developers operating in New York must report critical safety incidents and publish model-transparency reports. The announcement describes the law’s critical-incident reporting deadline as within 72 hours.
At the state’s request, NYCAIRR can provide expertise, assessments and evidence to inform oversight. It will coordinate with DIGIT to begin reviewing developers’ published safety frameworks and recommend ways to strengthen requirements.
Funding background: The center was first announced in January with a $30 million philanthropic gift from donors led by Binghamton alumnus and Bloomberg LP co-founder Tom Secunda, paired with an initial $25 million SUNY research investment and state operating capital. Those commitments are not a new $55 million announcement Tuesday.
The $500 million figure in the release refers to the broader Empire AI public-private initiative, not the center’s own budget.
JBizNews Desk | New York & Technology
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