New York · Senate Bill · 2023–2024 Regular Session
SB8206
New York SB 8206 — An Act to amend the general business law, in relation to requiring the collection of oaths of responsible use from users of certain generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence systems

Status ● Failed Effective N/A Passage Likelihood L

WHAT THIS BILL REGULATES · 1 REQUIREMENT TYPE

How Is This Bill Enforced

Enforcement Authority
Attorney General enforcement. The Attorney General receives all user oaths and has rulemaking authority for implementation. No private right of action is created. Operators who knowingly fail to present, collect, or submit oaths are subject to penalties imposed by the Attorney General.
Private Right of Action
No private right of action. Enforcement is exclusive to the designated authority.
Penalties
An operator who knowingly fails to submit oaths, or knowingly fails to present a user with or collect such oaths, shall be fined three times the amount of profit derived from the user whose oath was not submitted or $3,000, whichever is greater, per oath. No private monetary remedies are available.

What This Bill Requires

Verbatim statutory text on the left; plain-language analysis and a per-section checklist on the right. Numbered markers cross-link to the matching checklist row.

Statutory Text
Analysis & Obligations
Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(1)
Definitions

(1)(a) "Advanced artificial intelligence systemAdvanced artificial intelligence system"Advanced artificial intelligence system" shall mean any digital application or software, whether or not integrated with physical hardware, that autonomously performs functions traditionally requiring human intelligence. This includes, but is not limited to, the ability to learn from and adapt to new data or situations autonomously and perform functions that require cognitive processes such as understanding, learning, or decision-making for each specific task.Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(1)(a)" shall mean any digital application or software, whether or not integrated with physical hardware, that autonomously performs functions traditionally requiring human intelligence. This includes, but is not limited to, the ability to learn from and adapt to new data or situations autonomously and perform functions that require cognitive processes such as understanding, learning, or decision-making for each specific task.

(1)(b) "Generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence systemsGenerative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system"Generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence systems" shall only include systems which can: (i) generate synthetic images, videos, audio or other synthetic media that exhibit accuracy that is indistinguishable from the source they attempt to replicate; (ii) modify or alter existing images, video, or audio that exhibit accuracy that is indistinguishable from the source they attempt to replicate; (iii) generate synthetic written language that exhibits accuracy that is indistinguishable from the source they attempt to replicate; or (iv) be used as a tool to surveil a person or persons without their consent.Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(1)(b)" shall only include systems which can: (i) generate synthetic images, videos, audio or other synthetic media that exhibit accuracy that is indistinguishable from the source they attempt to replicate; (ii) modify or alter existing images, video, or audio that exhibit accuracy that is indistinguishable from the source they attempt to replicate; (iii) generate synthetic written language that exhibits accuracy that is indistinguishable from the source they attempt to replicate; or (iv) be used as a tool to surveil a person or persons without their consent.

(1)(c) "OperatorOperator"Operator" shall mean the person or persons, whether natural or otherwise, who distribute and have control over the development of a generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system. Where generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system is open code, the operator shall be deemed the platform or platforms which host the system.Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(1)(c)" shall mean the person or persons, whether natural or otherwise, who distribute and have control over the development of a generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence systemGenerative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system"Generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence systems" shall only include systems which can: (i) generate synthetic images, videos, audio or other synthetic media that exhibit accuracy that is indistinguishable from the source they attempt to replicate; (ii) modify or alter existing images, video, or audio that exhibit accuracy that is indistinguishable from the source they attempt to replicate; (iii) generate synthetic written language that exhibits accuracy that is indistinguishable from the source they attempt to replicate; or (iv) be used as a tool to surveil a person or persons without their consent.Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(1)(b). Where generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence systemGenerative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system"Generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence systems" shall only include systems which can: (i) generate synthetic images, videos, audio or other synthetic media that exhibit accuracy that is indistinguishable from the source they attempt to replicate; (ii) modify or alter existing images, video, or audio that exhibit accuracy that is indistinguishable from the source they attempt to replicate; (iii) generate synthetic written language that exhibits accuracy that is indistinguishable from the source they attempt to replicate; or (iv) be used as a tool to surveil a person or persons without their consent.Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(1)(b) is open codeOpen code"Open code" shall mean software whose code is made available to the public where the public has the ability to use, modify, or distribute the code irrespective of the associated costs to use, modify, or distribute the code, if any, or the underlying license agreement.Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(1)(d), the operatorOperator"Operator" shall mean the person or persons, whether natural or otherwise, who distribute and have control over the development of a generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system. Where generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system is open code, the operator shall be deemed the platform or platforms which host the system.Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(1)(c) shall be deemed the platform or platforms which host the system.

(1)(d) "Open codeOpen code"Open code" shall mean software whose code is made available to the public where the public has the ability to use, modify, or distribute the code irrespective of the associated costs to use, modify, or distribute the code, if any, or the underlying license agreement.Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(1)(d)" shall mean software whose code is made available to the public where the public has the ability to use, modify, or distribute the code irrespective of the associated costs to use, modify, or distribute the code, if any, or the underlying license agreement.

Subdivision 1 establishes four defined terms that scope the bill's application. The covered platform — generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system — is defined by output fidelity: the system must be capable of generating or modifying synthetic media or text that is indistinguishable from its source, or must be usable for non-consensual surveillance. The covered entity — Operator — is the person who distributes and controls development of such a system; for open-code systems, the hosting platform is deemed the operator.

Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(2)
Mandatory user oath collection before account creation
Deployer

(2) 1 Every operator of a generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence systemGenerative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system"Generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence systems" shall only include systems which can: (i) generate synthetic images, videos, audio or other synthetic media that exhibit accuracy that is indistinguishable from the source they attempt to replicate; (ii) modify or alter existing images, video, or audio that exhibit accuracy that is indistinguishable from the source they attempt to replicate; (iii) generate synthetic written language that exhibits accuracy that is indistinguishable from the source they attempt to replicate; or (iv) be used as a tool to surveil a person or persons without their consent.Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(1)(b) that is accessible to residents of the state shall require a user to create an account prior to utilizing such service. Prior to each user creating an account, such operatorOperator"Operator" shall mean the person or persons, whether natural or otherwise, who distribute and have control over the development of a generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system. Where generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system is open code, the operator shall be deemed the platform or platforms which host the system.Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(1)(c) shall present the user with a conspicuous digital or physical document that the user must affirm under penalty of perjury prior to the creation or continued use of such account. Such document shall state the following: "State of New York County of _______ I, ________ residing at ________, do affirm under penalty of perjury that I have not used, am not using, do not intend to use, and will not use the services provided by this advanced artificial intelligence systemAdvanced artificial intelligence system"Advanced artificial intelligence system" shall mean any digital application or software, whether or not integrated with physical hardware, that autonomously performs functions traditionally requiring human intelligence. This includes, but is not limited to, the ability to learn from and adapt to new data or situations autonomously and perform functions that require cognitive processes such as understanding, learning, or decision-making for each specific task.Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(1)(a) in a manner that violated or violates any of the following affirmations: 1. I will not use the platform to create or disseminate content that can foreseeably cause injury to another in violation of applicable laws; 2. I will not use the platform to aid, encourage, or in any way promote any form of illegal activity in violation of applicable laws; 3. I will not use the platform to disseminate content that is defamatory, offensive, harassing, violent, discriminatory, or otherwise harmful in violation of applicable laws; 4. I will not use the platform to create and disseminate content related to an individual, group of individuals, organization, or current, past, or future events that are of the public interest which I know to be false and which I intend to use for the purpose of misleading the public or causing panic."

Subdivision 2 imposes the bill's central obligation: every operator of a covered AI system accessible to New York residents must require users to create an account and, before doing so, must present each user with a prescribed oath that the user must affirm under penalty of perjury. The oath text is specified verbatim and requires the user to swear they have not and will not use the platform to create injurious content, promote illegal activity, disseminate harmful content, or knowingly spread false information about public-interest matters. This is a mandatory pre-access gate — the operator may not allow use without collecting the affirmation.

Compliance actions 1 item
1
OperatorsOperator"Operator" shall mean the person or persons, whether natural or otherwise, who distribute and have control over the development of a generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system. Where generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system is open code, the operator shall be deemed the platform or platforms which host the system.Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(1)(c) must require every user to create an account before using the AI system and must present each user with a prescribed sworn oath — affirming under penalty of perjury that the user has not and will not use the platform to create injurious content, promote illegal activity, disseminate harmful content, or knowingly spread public-interest falsehoods — which the user must affirm before account creation or continued use.
Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(3)
Perjury notice requirement
Deployer

(3) 2 Such statement shall be sworn or subscribed to under oath and bear a form notice that false statements made therein are punishable as a class A misdemeanor pursuant to section 210.45 of the penal law.

Subdivision 3 requires that the oath document be sworn or subscribed to under oath and bear a form notice advising users that false statements are punishable as a class A misdemeanor under Penal Law § 210.45 (making a punishable false written statement). This supplements the oath-collection obligation by specifying the legal weight the affirmation must carry and the mandatory warning that must accompany it.

Compliance actions 1 item
2
OperatorsOperator"Operator" shall mean the person or persons, whether natural or otherwise, who distribute and have control over the development of a generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system. Where generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system is open code, the operator shall be deemed the platform or platforms which host the system.Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(1)(c) must ensure the oath document is sworn or subscribed to under oath and bears a form notice that false statements are punishable as a class A misdemeanor under Penal Law § 210.45.
Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(4)
Oath submission to Attorney General and penalties
Deployer

(4) 3 Every operatorOperator"Operator" shall mean the person or persons, whether natural or otherwise, who distribute and have control over the development of a generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system. Where generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system is open code, the operator shall be deemed the platform or platforms which host the system.Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(1)(c) subject to the provisions of this section shall submit a copy of each oath taken pursuant to subdivision two of this section to the attorney general within thirty days of such user making such oath, in such form and manner as designated by the attorney general. Any operatorOperator"Operator" shall mean the person or persons, whether natural or otherwise, who distribute and have control over the development of a generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system. Where generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system is open code, the operator shall be deemed the platform or platforms which host the system.Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(1)(c) who knowingly fails to submit such oaths, or knowingly fails to present a user with or collect such oaths, shall be fined three times such amount of profit derived from the user whose oath was not submitted or three thousand dollars, whichever is greater, per oath.

Subdivision 4 creates a dual obligation: operators must submit copies of all collected oaths to the Attorney General within 30 days, in the form and manner the AG designates. The subdivision also establishes the penalty for knowing failure to submit, present, or collect oaths — the greater of three times the profit derived from the non-compliant user or $3,000 per oath.

Compliance actions 1 item
3
OperatorsOperator"Operator" shall mean the person or persons, whether natural or otherwise, who distribute and have control over the development of a generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system. Where generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system is open code, the operator shall be deemed the platform or platforms which host the system.Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(1)(c) must submit a copy of each user oath to the Attorney General within 30 days of the user making the oath, in the form and manner designated by the Attorney General.
R-02.1
Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(5)
Prohibition on oath modification
Deployer

(5) 4 No operatorOperator"Operator" shall mean the person or persons, whether natural or otherwise, who distribute and have control over the development of a generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system. Where generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system is open code, the operator shall be deemed the platform or platforms which host the system.Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(1)(c) shall be entitled to augment, add or delete any provisions of such oath except as permitted by the attorney general.

Subdivision 5 prohibits operators from modifying the prescribed oath text — no augmenting, adding, or deleting any provisions — except as permitted by the Attorney General. This locks in the statutory oath language and prevents operators from diluting or expanding it unilaterally.

Compliance actions 1 item
4
OperatorsOperator"Operator" shall mean the person or persons, whether natural or otherwise, who distribute and have control over the development of a generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system. Where generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system is open code, the operator shall be deemed the platform or platforms which host the system.Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(1)(c) must not modify, augment, or delete any provision of the prescribed oath unless permitted by the Attorney General.
Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(6)
User liability savings clause

(6) This section shall not be construed as imposing any liability on a user for an operatorOperator"Operator" shall mean the person or persons, whether natural or otherwise, who distribute and have control over the development of a generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system. Where generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system is open code, the operator shall be deemed the platform or platforms which host the system.Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(1)(c)'s failure to present such user with, collect or submit an oath.

Subdivision 6 is a savings clause protecting users from liability for an operator's failure to present, collect, or submit the oath. This provision creates no new obligation — it limits the scope of liability to the operator side.

Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(7)
Attorney General rulemaking authority

(7) The attorney general shall promulgate all rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of this section, including but not limited to, the administration of oaths and affirmations by operatorsOperator"Operator" shall mean the person or persons, whether natural or otherwise, who distribute and have control over the development of a generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system. Where generative or surveillance advanced artificial intelligence system is open code, the operator shall be deemed the platform or platforms which host the system.Gen. Bus. Law § 394-cccc(1)(c) for the purposes of this section.

Subdivision 7 grants the Attorney General broad rulemaking authority to promulgate all rules and regulations necessary for implementation, including the administration of oaths and affirmations by operators. This provision creates no direct compliance obligation for operators but establishes the AG's authority to issue binding implementing regulations.

S08206, § 2
Effective date

This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.

Section 2 provides that the act takes effect on the ninetieth day after it becomes law. It also authorizes immediate promulgation of rules and regulations necessary for implementation before that effective date.

Passage Likelihood

Failed
Status Failed
Final action REFERRED TO INTERNET AND TECHNOLOGY

Legislative History

2024-01-12 REFERRED TO INTERNET AND TECHNOLOGY

Entry Last Reviewed

2026-05-20
AI generated