In his testimony before the City of New York’s Commission on Government Efficiency, Policy Director Brian J. Chen focuses on the pressures being brought to bear on municipal governments to adopt AI in the name of technological modernization. He argues that New York City should move cautiously in any adoption of AI, focusing on protecting and enhancing government efficiency and overall resilience. Specifically, he emphasizes that:

• The productivity benefits of AI remain unproven, and large commercial models are increasingly expensive as the real costs of AI computing power emerge.
• Efficiency in government requires that technological tools align with public priorities and worker expertise; this will require deliberate processes of public and internal staff engagement.
• Where AI may offer benefits to service delivery, the City will need to engage in robust governance, utilizing robust vetting and pre-deployment assessment to ensure that technologies work as advertised, do not erode public trust, and are aligned with public expectations.