New York opened a registration portal Tuesday for large frontier AI developers under the state's RAISE Act, which takes effect January 1, 2027. Companies like OpenAI and Anthropic with more than $500 million in annual revenue must register by that date and comply with new safety requirements.
The law mandates that registered companies publish safety frameworks on their websites, report critical safety incidents within 72 hours, and issue public model transparency reports. New York's newly formed Office of Digital Innovation, Governance, Integrity, and Trust (DIGIT) will implement and oversee the RAISE Act. Violations carry penalties up to $1 million for the first offense and $3 million for subsequent ones. The state can bring enforcement actions against companies that fail to register.
Governor Kathy Hochul said Tuesday that the law represents a shift away from what she called inevitable AI development. "Tech moguls tell us that their vision for AI is inevitable," Hochul said. "They tell us get on board or get left behind… That any collateral damage is worth it as long as we win the race to the AI cliff."
Hochul also launched the New York Center for AI Responsibility and Research at State University of New York's Binghamton University. The center, funded with $55 million in donations and capital first announced in January, will independently evaluate the safety and security of advanced AI systems and review companies' safety frameworks alongside DIGIT.
Other states have passed similar laws. California's SB 53, effective in January, requires frontier AI labs to publish safety frameworks, enact whistleblower protections, and report critical safety incidents within 15 days. Illinois' SB 315, taking effect January 1, 2027, includes the same requirements plus independent safety compliance audits.
New York previously enforced laws requiring AI companion operators to disclose bot interactions and detect self-harm risk. A separate chatbot safety law for minors, signed by Hochul in October, restricts deceptive interactions and emotionally manipulative responses, taking effect June 1, 2027.