Balancing concerns, opportunities with Artificial Intelligence

(ALBANY, N.Y.) NEWS10----In Governor Hochul’s proposed budget, she wants to invest $250 million for Artificial Intelligence research.

The governor has proposed Empire AI which would be a partnership between SUNY, CUNY, and private institutions to research the technology.

"SUNY Buffalo is where the physical data center will be located, but all of these universities--- CUNY, SUNY, RPI, Cornell. Colombia is in there as well. There’s a broader set. They will have access to the data center and be able to run experiments there," explained Assemblymember Alex Bores.

Bores said this will help reduce risks that come from AI.

'Its taking AI research from solely being in the for-profit domain and allow academic researchers to look at it from any angle to explore more," said Bores.

This isn’t the first time New York has invested in technology.

"It was those early investments that lead to the semi-conductor industry, which led to Global Foundries, which lead to Micron, which will ultimately have 50,000 jobs," said Assemblymember Pat Fahy. "It’s exactly what we want to do here and part of these investments, part of this AI research, is to help us solve some really big issues."

Fahy said it can help address a wide range of issues such as climate change, fraud, and cyber security.

"There’s a lot of fear out there about AI, which is another reason why we need these investments to get out in front of the technology and make sure we are using it for all of the positive purposes," she explained.

The governor has proposed legislation to expand penal law for crimes committed with the unauthorized use of AI. She also wants political ads distributed within 60 days of an election, to disclose if they were made with the technology.