New York’s RAISE Act: What You Need to Know About the AI Safety Bill

New York’s RAISE Act would require frontier AI developers spending more than $100 million on training to prevent “critical harm” and report safety incidents.

AI is advancing faster than lawmakers can react — and nowhere is that tension more visible than in New York.

In June 2025, state lawmakers passed the Responsible AI Safety and Education (RAISE) Act. This first-of-its-kind proposal would require the largest AI developers to follow basic safety rules. The bill has cleared the Legislature but still awaits the governor’s signature, leaving New York poised — but not yet committed — to becoming the first state to directly regulate frontier AI.

Supporters argue the measure is a necessary guardrail as AI approaches capabilities once confined to science fiction. Critics warn it could slow innovation and fracture national policy. Either way, the RAISE Act has become a flashpoint in a rapidly ...