The New York City Council held its first-in-the-nation AI oversight hearing on Monday, calling executives from OpenAI, Google, Anthropic and Meta to testify about the risks of artificial intelligence. City Council Speaker Julie Menin organised the hearing, arguing the city must act because the federal government lets AI companies self-regulate.

The executives appeared via video link to discuss balancing innovation with public safety. The council is considering bills that would create a city-run kill switch for AI, protect whistleblowers and restrict the use of AI in public schools. Former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon warned the industry does not yet know how to control AI systems, and a small group of tech workers protested outside City Hall.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman acknowledged that a 10 per cent risk of AI causing human extinction by the end of the decade was unacceptable, and said the company’s planned IPO had been delayed while safety measures were addressed. Menin said city bills could serve as a national model. President Trump met AI CEOs separately to sign a voluntary safety pact.