Wedoany.com Report on Feb 9th, The New York State Legislature is deliberating on two key bills aimed at regulating AI-generated content and the establishment of new data centers. These measures reflect growing concerns about the impacts of rapid technological advancement.
Two recently proposed bills in New York State, targeting the regulation of artificial intelligence in the news industry and the pace of data center construction, have garnered significant attention from both the industry and the public.
The "New York Journalism Artificial Intelligence Requirements Act" emphasizes strict oversight of AI-generated content. The bill stipulates that any news content primarily created by generative artificial intelligence must be reviewed and approved by an editor with editorial authority before publication and must be clearly labeled as AI-generated. Furthermore, news organizations are required to inform editors about the specific use of AI tools and implement effective measures to protect sensitive information, such as news sources, from being improperly accessed or disclosed by AI systems.
Another bill, numbered S9144, proposes a moratorium on issuing permits for new data centers, tentatively set for three years. The bill points out that electricity and gas costs for residential, commercial, and industrial users continue to rise, and data centers are a significant contributor to growing energy consumption. According to data from New York's National Grid, applications for high-load electricity usage have tripled within a year, and New York State's electricity demand is projected to increase by over 10 gigawatts in the next five years. Currently, more than 130 data centers are operating statewide, placing increasing strain on the power grid.
It is worth noting that the New York State Public Service Commission recently approved a phased rate increase of approximately 9% over the next three years for Consolidated Edison (Con Edison) customers. This adjustment is closely related to the pressure on the power system caused by large-scale electricity consumers like data centers and reflects a broader trend across many parts of the United States where surging energy demand is driving up electricity costs.
The deliberation and final outcome of these two bills are expected to profoundly impact the use of AI technology in news production and the construction planning of digital infrastructure, such as data centers, in New York State. Striking a balance between promoting technological innovation and ensuring content quality and energy sustainability has become a critical policy challenge for New York State and the entire United States in the digital age.
