New York uses AI to review state regulations in months
Governor Kathy Hochul says artificial intelligence helped her team analyze decades of legislation that would have taken staff five years to complete manually.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has deployed artificial intelligence to conduct a comprehensive review of the state's entire regulatory framework, a project her administration says would have required five years using traditional methods.
Speaking on Bloomberg's Odd Lots podcast, Hochul revealed that her team used AI to analyze "every single rule, regulation, [and] policy" across New York state government. The technology-assisted review, completed in just a couple of months according to Hochul, surfaced numerous antiquated regulations ripe for elimination.
Why it matters
This represents one of the first large-scale deployments of AI for government regulatory review at the state level. If successful, the approach could reshape how state agencies maintain and modernize their rule books—potentially accelerating regulatory reform while raising questions about AI's role in legal and policy analysis. The timeline compression from years to months suggests significant efficiency gains, though the methodology and accuracy of the AI review remain unspecified.
Examples of outdated regulations identified
The AI-powered analysis uncovered regulations that have long outlived their relevance. Among them: a $25 fee requirement for taking a dog hunting and a stipulation requiring pregnant individuals to obtain permits for working after midnight. Hochul indicated these findings will enable her administration and state agencies to eliminate obsolete rules.
"I want a government that's not on your back but on your side, and using AI has been powerful to do that," Hochul told Bloomberg. She added that she believes "every level of government should use this" and plans to "make dramatic changes using the power of AI."
Contrasting AI policies
The regulatory review initiative stands in notable contrast to another recent AI-related decision by Hochul's administration. Earlier this week, New York became the first state to impose a moratorium on new hyperscale data centers, pausing such projects for up to a year. State lawmakers plan to use that period to develop regulations protecting residents from rising utility costs and environmental impacts associated with massive data center operations.
The dual approach—embracing AI for government efficiency while restricting AI infrastructure expansion—illustrates the complex policy calculations states face as they navigate artificial intelligence's rapid development.
Details of the regulatory review were first reported by The Verge, based on Hochul's Bloomberg podcast interview.
This is an original analysis by the Omega editorial team. Source reporting: AI Watch.
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