Testimony Before the New York City Council Committee on Technology Regarding the Use of Automated Decision Systems and Artificial Intelligence by New York City Agencies

The NYCLU works to expand the right to privacy, increase the control individuals have over their personal information, increase transparency and accountability in the use of algorithms, artificial intelligence (“AI”), and automated decision systems (“ADS”), and ensure that civil rights and liberties are enhanced rather than compromised by technological innovation.

New Yorkers should be fully informed about when and how algorithms are making decisions impacting their lives, they should be able to trust these systems are accurate, and they should have proof that their demographics don’t lead to disparate outcomes. To achieve these goals, we provide the Digital Fairness Act, A.3308/S.2277; the Bossware and Oppressive Technology Act (BOT Act), A.9315-A/S.7623-B; and the NY Department of Financial Services AI Circular Letter as exemplary frameworks for consideration by the Council as it engages further on issues related to AI and ADS.