The United States is engaged in a high-stakes, winner-take-all technological cold war with China. But the U.S. cannot lead in artificial intelligence if its largest economic zones function as anchors, not propellers.
Unfortunately, New York State is pushing for more innovation-killing regulation, spinning up red tape and mandating bureaucracy. Just three months into 2026, legislators in Albany have introduced more than 180 AI-related bills, far exceeding the quantity of legislation in any other state and even doubling that of California. There’s a bad idea for everything: national AI lab development rules, disparate-impact paperwork assessments and audits, algorithmic-pricing regulations, “robot taxes,” and AI rules in journalism and hiring.
New York’s everything-and-the-kitchen-sink approach to AI regulation will accelerate a continued business exodus. Consumers will suffer under the state’s micro-managerial, paperwork-first policies. And, because many regulations will have negative spillovers, the damage will extend beyond New York.
Adam Thierer is a Senior Fellow for Technology and Innovation at the R Street Institute. Logan Kolas is the Director of Technology Policy at the American Consumer Institute. Follow Logan on X @Logan_Kolas