Tech:NYC’s Statement After the Conclusion of the 2025 New York Legislative Session

June 18, 2025

Tech:NYC released the following statement after the conclusion of the 2025 New York Legislative session.

New York’s policymakers and entrepreneurs have worked hard to position New York as a global tech capital. We have become a center of innovation where tech leaders, investors, and every industry come together to build the future. Just last week, New York City was ranked as the second highest-performing startup ecosystem in the world. 

But New York’s progress isn’t guaranteed. Within the past week, the New York State Legislature passed several bills — including the RAISE Act — that, if signed into law, would squander our state’s position as a leader in AI. These bills are well-intentioned, but would impose heavy compliance burdens on businesses, especially startups and smaller companies, and will prevent longstanding New York industries like finance, advertising, and medicine, from adopting and benefitting from the latest in AI innovation. This puts New York at a competitive disadvantage on the global stage, not just in tech but in all the industries core to our identity. 

New York has an opportunity to lead the world not just in AI innovation, but in AI governance. Unfortunately, this legislation misses the mark. We support a thoughtful, balanced approach to AI regulation that prioritizes safety, transparency, and accountability — and reflects the realities of how this tech is built and tested. Crafting a policy framework that establishes New York as the global home of responsible and impactful AI requires that policymakers and the tech sector work closely together, and we look forward to continuing that effort.

— Julie Samuels, President & CEO, Tech:NYC