The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) has announced its plans to establish New York as a global leader in applied artificial intelligence (AI).
The city’s report, ‘New York City’s Artificial Intelligence Advantage: Driving Economic Growth and Technological Transformation,’ outlines recommendations and a detailed action plan to secure New York City’s goal of becoming the applied AI capital of the world.
The plan is set to establish NYC AI Nexus, an initiative backed by a USD 3 million investment from NYCEDC. The NYC AI Nexus is poised to become a hub for connecting local startups with businesses to facilitate the development and adoption of applied AI solutions in various industries.
New York’s Strategic AI Goals
The report outlines New York’s key goals, which includes positioning the city as a global leader in applied AI, promoting the creation of new businesses and partnerships to build a dynamic and prosperous AI ecosystem, and developing a diverse, AI-ready workforce to power future economic growth.
To achieve the initiative’s goals, the report highlights 18 targeted commitments, such as establishing an AI Advisory Council, launching AI literacy programs in public libraries, and offering internships for students at AI-focused startups from The City University of New York (CUNY).
New York City’s Mayor Eric Adams emphasized, “The jobs of tomorrow are being created today in New York City, and AI is key to making that happen. As we hit another all-time record high for jobs in our city, our administration is looking to the future, and the future shows AI as the next emerging sector and source of job creation across our city, the country, and the globe.”
Adams added, “The five boroughs are leaping at the opportunity to be the global leader in AI, partnering with the leading AI company, releasing a first-of-its-kind report, and investing millions in the future. From tech and green economy to life sciences and AI, the Big Apple—not Silicon Valley—is leading the way on jobs that will make our city the best place to raise a family.
Driving Collaborations
The NYCEDC has launched a strategic collaboration with OpenAI, following the recent establishment of the latter’s first east coast office at Manhattan’s Puck Building, with 450 employees. The partnership with OpenAI is expected to support innovative programs, including the NYCEDC Founder Fellowship and the NYC AI Nexus.
Andrew Kimball, NYCEDC’s President and CEO, highlighted, “New York City’s premier talent pool, diverse economy, strong access to capital, and leading researchers are cementing the city as a global applied AI hub.” The NYCEDC CEO emphasized that the report outlines strategies on leveraging emerging technologies for dynamic economic growth.
“New York City is already leading in AI innovations, and we are thrilled to partner with pioneering companies like OpenAI and continue to create groundbreaking advancements in this transformative field, while ensuring that all New Yorkers have the opportunity to contribute to and benefit from the growth of AI.”
The NYCEDC and OpenAI’s partnership will join the new AI Advisory Council and allocate USD 500,000 in application programming interface credits to various NYCEDC program participants, including the Founder Fellowship and NYC AI Nexus. Five hundred ChatGPT Plus accounts will also be enabled to participate in AI literacy programs.