New York opens RAISE Act registration as frontier AI labs face new state oversight

New York is gearing up to enforce one of the most significant AI safety laws in the United States. The state opened a registration portal on November 10, and large frontier AI developers such as Anthropic and OpenAI will be required to register by January 1, 2027, TechCrunch reported.

What the RAISE Act requires

The RAISE Act, New York's safety and transparency law, takes effect at the start of next year. Large frontier developers, defined as companies with more than $500 million in annual revenue, must:

• publish safety frameworks on their websites;
• report critical safety incidents within 72 hours;
• issue public model transparency reports.

The newly formed Office of Digital Innovation, Governance, Integrity, and Trust (DIGIT) will implement the law and oversee large frontier AI labs. Penalties can reach $1 million for a first violation and $3 million for subsequent violations. The state can also bring enforcement actions against companies that fail to register, though a spokesperson declined to provide specifics.

Hochul's message

"Tech moguls tell us that their vision for AI is inevitable," Governor Kathy Hochul said at a press briefing. "They tell us get on board or get left behind." She added: "We're building a national model for smart, sensible AI regulation, a model that puts communities above corporations and people above powerful technology."

Hochul also launched the New York Center for AI Responsibility and Research, based at the State University of New York's Binghamton University. The center will independently evaluate the safety, security and operation of advanced AI systems and work with DIGIT to review companies' safety frameworks. Hochul first announced the center in January with $55 million in donations and capital.

How it compares

New York already enforces a law requiring AI companion operators to regularly remind users they are talking to a bot and to make reasonable efforts to detect suicidal ideation, and in October Hochul signed a separate chatbot safety law for minors that takes effect June 1, 2027. California's SB 53, in force since January, requires frontier labs to publish safety frameworks and report critical incidents within 15 days, while Illinois' SB 315, effective in 2027, adds independent safety compliance audits.

Sources: TechCrunch, New York Governor's Office, CBS New York