Candidates would use AI on everything from policing to buses, though a few emphasized risks.
Michael Blake: Launch an AI Workforce Innovation Fund to support training for AI-related jobs, while protecting workers through ethical guidelines. Invest in public sector AI tools to reduce backlogs in services like housing and payments without replacing human oversight.
Whitney Tilson: Artificial intelligence would improve the NYPD’s ability to assemble data, document trends and prevent crimes. I envision using AI to determine how to allocate police resources, marshal data to investigate and solve crimes, and prioritize responses to emergency calls. At the same time, AI must only assist human work, and we must adopt rules to prevent abuses of AI that violate civil liberties.
Jessica Ramos: NYC should harness AI to improve access to child care and critical programs. If AI can find a dinner reservation, it should help parents find safe, quality care — when they need it. As mayor, I’ll use AI to expand presumptive eligibility and ensure every New Yorker gets connected to the support they are entitled to.
Zellnor Myrie: NYC should harness AI to improve transit, starting with expanded use of automated bus lane enforcement and smarter routing. These tools can speed up commutes, reduce delays, and boost reliability, especially for working New Yorkers. With strong privacy safeguards, AI can make public services more efficient and equitable.
Zohran Mamdani: AI can be a useful tool for a workforce if deployed effectively, but it can also harm workers, replicate biases, and weaken vital services if done irresponsibly. We must ultimately create checks to ensure that technological tools are being deployed responsibly to deliver effective services. As mayor, I would work with unions and the City Council to pass legislation to appropriately regulate AI.
Scott Stringer: My QualitySTAT system will use AI to aggregate city data across agencies in order to make city government responsive to the quality of life concerns of New Yorkers. City government should also work to attract AI startups in the city, positioning New York as a global leader in AI innovation and applications.
Brad Lander: We should use AI to identify patterns in claims against city agencies (traffic crashes by city vehicles, medical malpractice, police misconduct) — which cost $1.5 billion per year — and then assign budget responsibility to agencies to bring them down. I’m the only candidate in the race with a plan to modernize city government using technology, including utilizing — and setting boundaries to prevent abuse of — AI.
Adrienne Adams: Bring together labor and tech leaders to establish real guardrails and identify opportunities for AI. I will make AI work for people — helping city workers do their jobs better, not replacing them. We must protect jobs while using AI to improve service delivery and economic opportunity. We can also make government technology processes more efficient by utilizing AI in smart ways.
