New York State Rewrites Laws with AI: '5 Years of Work in a Few Months'
New York State Rewrites Laws with AI: '5 Years of Work in a Few Months'
New York State has launched a vast regulatory review program and yes, it has turned to artificial intelligence to optimize the work. Governor Kathy Hochul revealed, during an interview on Bloomberg's podcast Odd Lots, that her team is using AI systems to analyze every single law, regulation, and policy of the State, with the aim of identifying outdated provisions.
According to Hochul, the traditional process would have required about five years of work by administrative staff. Thanks to AI, however, the analysis was completed in a few months, allowing state agencies to prepare for the elimination or updating of obsolete regulations.
Among the examples cited by the governor are some particularly outdated provisions. One concerns a $25 tax required to take a dog hunting. Another stipulates that pregnant individuals must obtain a permit to work after midnight.
Hochul emphasized that these regulations no longer reflect the current social and economic reality and that the use of AI enables quicker identification than traditional methods.
The initiative takes on particular significance as it comes just days after New York's decision to introduce a moratorium on new hyperscale data centers dedicated to AI. The State has indeed suspended the construction of new facilities of this type for up to one year, becoming the first in the United States to adopt such a measure.
During the suspension period, state legislators will work on new rules to protect citizens from rising energy costs and the impact that large data centers can have on natural resources.
Despite the pause on new data centers, Hochul reiterated her support for the use of artificial intelligence in public administration. The governor stated her desire to build a government "on the side of the citizens" and described AI as a powerful tool to simplify procedures and reduce bureaucracy.
New York's experiment is undoubtedly interesting and it is likely that the same methodology will be extended to other levels of government. The speed of the interventions is undeniably an advantage. Rather, the reliability of the evaluations carried out by AI will need to be thoroughly assessed.