De La Rosa questions Milstein on interagency AI oversight

So we'll continue that conversation.

I also want to...

give you a preview, I have a bill that creates a civil service title for AI within our city agencies.

And one of the things that I'm curious about is like this interagency communication around AI.

Can you speak to us?

Where are you right now when it comes to each of the city agencies and evaluating where the agencies are in terms of the use of AI internally?

Yes, thank you for the question.

So one of the privileges that we have at OTI as the agency that runs the reporting for Local Law 35 is that we learn from agencies throughout the city how they are using algorithmic tools that have

direct public impact.

And in the process of collecting that data, we have a fair amount of contact with agencies to be able to learn more

and to establish relationships with them so that we can also serve as advisors to them and understand their challenges as this technology unfolds.

In the last cycle, last year, we had 56 agencies participating.

Our first hearing as technology chair was around surveillance.

And one of the things that we pretty much grilled these companies about was about self-regulation.

And I think from the tone and tenure of this council, we don't believe in self-regulation.

However, we've given the grace to our city agencies to self-report the use of AI.

I want to ask you.

And I understand that OTI is not an agency that's going to impose penalties on other agencies for not reporting.

But there is a specific concern that my colleagues and I have around self-reporting, especially when it comes to the NYPD's reporting of surveillance technologies.

This council has had many hearings on that.

I wonder, you know, under the Office of Algorithmic Accountability, what accountability tools will be put in place to make sure

that we are properly regulating the use of surveillance technology in the NYPD and other technology?

You know, this council held a hearing just in June around the Department of Education and the use of AI.

So what are some of those tools that we can look forward to seeing?

Yeah, thank you for that question, Council Member.

So in advance of having full-time staff at OAA, we have been doing research to understand some of the types of

risk assessment and risk management that organizations like ours can do in a situation where self-reporting is what we have been relying on.

We're a little bit early to say how we would implement that in the city, but we are very actively

hiring for a director who understands that set of problems and can help us figure out how we come up with effective risk assessment and management that includes

you into city agencies, perhaps beyond self-reporting.

Thank you for that answer.