NY’s AI Safety Bill Awaiting Governor’s Signature is Unenforceable

New York's AI Safety Bill has cleared New York's Senate and Assembly, and now awaits the Governor's signature to become yet another law in New York that can't be enforced.

The bill would place restrictions on content created by artificial intelligence and hold both the creator and the AI service responsible for the material. According to Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon, any alterations to a person's image or voice would have to be clearly disclosed in any material broadcasted or used online, among many other restrictions. Buttenschon said she voted no because there were just too many important questions that needed to be answered in the wording of the bill, as well as how it could actually be fairly enforced.

Unlike the Federal "Take it Down" law which is meant to prevent deepfakes that often times target women and teens with fake sexual material, this would include all AI material. Additionally, the Take It Down law is a federal law which covers the entire United States, making it somewhat enforceable. The fact that several states like New York are looking to pass their own individual rules and regulations through state laws only creates confusion at state borders, and nearly impossible to enforce.

Currently, there are efforts in Congress to create rules and regulations on AI that, like the Take It Down law, would create a set of rules and regulations for the entire country.

In full disclosure, when Assemblywoman Buttenschon asked me about the legislation, I urged her to vote no because of the concerns outlined in this editorial. Additionally, I have a personal connection to AI as I currently use it from time to time in my radio and television work. In fact, we recently won the NYS Broadcaster's Association Public Service award for Best Campaign of 2025, for our Real Men Get Tested for Cancer commercial, which in obvious fashion, used AI and an image of Governor Kathy Hochul to remind men the importance of getting screened for cancer.

I announced this week on the radio that we're inviting Governor Hochul to attend the ceremony in September to join us in accepting the award. We're awaiting here response. In the meantime, watch the commercial, featuring AI, below.