Creates a temporary state commission to study and investigate how to regulate artificial intelligence, robotics and automation; repeals such commission.
A03361 creates a temporary New York State commission to study and investigate how the state should regulate artificial intelligence, robotics, and automation. The commission is directed to examine existing state law, compare approaches used in other states, and evaluate a wide range of issues, including civil and criminal liability, employment effects, confidentiality and data disclosure concerns, restrictions on weaponized uses, impacts on the technology sector, and public-sector applications of AI and cognitive technologies.
The commission would be composed of 14 members appointed by the governor, legislative leaders, the attorney general, and the chancellors of SUNY and CUNY. It may hold hearings, take written testimony, and otherwise gather information as needed. The bill requires the commission to issue a final report to state leaders no later than 30 days before the act expires, and the commission itself is temporary, expiring and being repealed on December 31, 2026.
The bill does not directly change substantive state law governing artificial intelligence, robotics, or automation. Instead, it creates a temporary study commission that could inform future legislation by identifying gaps in current law and recommending regulatory approaches. Its immediate legal effect is to establish a formal advisory body with authority to investigate issues, hold hearings, and report findings to executive and legislative leaders before expiration.
The available voting history suggests broad support for the measure. It received a unanimous favorable vote in the Assembly Science and Technology Committee and then passed the Assembly floor 142-0, indicating strong bipartisan or at least noncontroversial support for studying AI regulation. No committee transcript was provided, and there is no evidence in the record of organized opposition or divided debate.
Because the bill is a study commission rather than a regulatory mandate, there appears to be little direct contention in the available record. The main policy questions embedded in the bill concern how far New York should go in regulating AI and automation, especially regarding liability, employment impacts, confidential information, and possible limits on weaponized systems. Any future disagreement is likely to center on whether the state should adopt stronger rules now versus waiting for the commission’s findings, and on how regulation might affect the technology industry and public-sector use of AI.