New York Mayor Mamdani: Federal government has abdicated on AI regulation

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and actor Ilana Glazer came together at an event on artificial intelligence technologies held at Webster Hall in Manhattan. Stating that the federal government has fallen short in regulating artificial intelligence, Mamdani called on New Yorkers to resist the wave of unregulated technology.

Speaking at the People's AI Assembly event organized by the AI Now Institute, Zohran Mamdani emphasized that the rapid proliferation of artificial intelligence technologies is not inevitable and that public officials must hold corporations accountable. Ilana Glazer, an actor and parent who attended the event, expressed her discomfort with the introduction of technology into schools.

Mamdani banned the use of AI in elementary and middle schools last month, and also announced a policy in the summer making it mandatory to clearly label AI-generated photos and videos in real estate listings.

Stating that debates on artificial intelligence at the federal level are framed around national competition and an arms race with China, while human-centric concerns are ignored, Mamdani expressed that the Superintelligence Task Force announced by President Donald Trump focuses on corporate self-regulation rather than introducing new federal restrictions.