Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Ilana Glazer discussed AI’s societal impact at an event in Manhattan, with Mamdani urging New Yorkers to resist the perception that AI is an unavoidable force. He emphasized the need for public officials to hold AI companies accountable, as the federal government has done little to regulate the technology.
Mamdanis recent policy mandates that landlords and real estate platforms disclose when AI-generated content is used in property listings, aiming to prevent misleading information. This move reflects his broader stance that AI’s integration into society should not be accepted passively.
"Nothing has to be," Mamdani said at the event, highlighting the creeping influence of AI and the intent to overwhelm people into accepting it without question. He cited the U.S. military’s February strike on a school in Iran, which killed over 150 people, as an example of reckless AI adoption without proper oversight.
The mayor criticized the federal government’s abdication of responsibility, noting that AI discussions often focus on competition with China rather than humanistic concerns. He argued that allowing AI companies to self-regulate is a form of escaping accountability.
Mamdanis remarks come amid growing fears about AI’s impact on society, including warnings from whistleblowers at major companies about potential human extinction. He called for a new framework in how AI is approached and regulated at the national level.
Source: techcrunch
