New York City Mayor Eric Adams held a Monday press conference to unveil a new “action plan” for integrating quickly evolving artificial intelligence technology into city government. The citywide strategy will assess the risks and benefits of AI tools and “responsibly implement” them to improve life for New Yorkers—and according to Adams, this plan is already well underway.
The 51-page Artificial Intelligence Action Plan presented by Mayor Adams and Chief Technology Officer Matthew Fraser laid out the steps the New York City government will take in the coming years to capitalize on recent AI breakthroughs. While many local governments have shied away from automation and generative AI given the controversy surrounding it, Adams argued that embracing this “once-in-a-generation opportunity” is the only way forward despite its potential pitfalls.
“This is not the time to run away, but it’s a time to run towards, and properly govern, AI,” he said. “If we stay away from moving forward because we’re afraid of someone who’s going to abuse it, [we] won’t get anything done.”
The new AI action plan, which builds upon a similar strategy document from 2021, outlines 37 key actions that the Adams administration will complete within the next year. These actions include consulting non-government experts on the risks and benefits of AI, publishing annual AI progress reports, training government employees on AI technologies, and using AI to boost the efficiency of government services.
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During the press conference, city officials also announced ongoing beta testing of an AI-powered chatbot designed to help business owners navigate city resources online. The chatbot uses Microsoft’s Azure AI to connect entrepreneurs with information from more than 2,000 business websites. “This is really about lifting the boulder of bureaucracy,” Adams said. “People should not be afraid to interact with government. Many people would rather lay on a bed of nails than having to call the government to just ask basic questions.”
© Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office
The chatbot’s functions will be refined and expanded as testing continues, but in the meantime, the New York City government is also exploring other applications for AI.
In a somewhat controversial move, Adams announced that the city government has begun sending out recorded messages of the mayor speaking to citizens in dozens of different languages—despite the fact that Adams only speaks English. Using conversational AI technology, messages from Adams are being translated into Yiddish, Mandarin, Spanish, and several other languages to inform New Yorkers about job placements and issue public service announcements. The calls, which critics are calling “a creepy Orwellian vanity project,” do not include a disclaimer about the audio being AI-generated, leading to some confusion about Adams’ actual linguistic talents.
“We know the term AI can cause anxiety, you hear it all the time. People think all of a sudden you’re going to have a Terminator-type figure come in and take over government and displace human beings,” Adams said. “That’s just not the reality. Take a deep breath, get a grip. It’s going to help us function better in the city.”
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