NEW YORK (October 21, 2026) — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani participated Monday in The People’s AI Assembly, an event held at Webster Hall in Manhattan, where he spoke with comedian, actress and activist Ilana Glazer about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI), the responsibility of technology companies and the role of public authorities amid the expansion of these tools.
The event was jointly organized by AI Now Institute and More Perfect Union, two organizations that promote public debate about the consequences of technology and the economic and political decisions that affect the population. The gathering highlighted the need to build a technology movement that strengthens workers, benefits communities and contributes to collective well-being, rather than leaving the direction of artificial intelligence exclusively in the hands of major companies.
The conversation between Mamdani and Glazer was part of a broader program that brought together representatives from labor, research, journalism, politics and activism. Among the announced participants were Lina Khan, former chair of the Federal Trade Commission; Naomi Klein, journalist and author; Arundhati Roy, writer; Karen Hao, a journalist specializing in artificial intelligence; and Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance. The agenda also included discussions on regulation, working conditions and the expansion of data centers, as well as a musical performance by KOTA the Friend.
During his remarks, Mamdani challenged the idea that society must accept the rapid incorporation of artificial intelligence into every aspect of life as inevitable. According to TechCrunch, the mayor urged New Yorkers to reject the notion that they have no ability to influence decisions that could affect their jobs, their children’s education and their dignity. In his view, technological development should not be removed from democratic debate, nor should those who design and market these tools be exempt from responsibility.
The mayor also criticized what he described as the lack of a federal response capable of establishing sufficient limits on the industry. He argued that the national debate over artificial intelligence is often framed as a strategic competition with China, while concerns affecting ordinary people are pushed aside. In that context, he defended the intervention of public officials and rejected the idea that the companies developing these systems should be solely responsible for determining the rules governing their technologies.
Education was another issue addressed during the conversation. Glazer expressed concern about the incorporation of artificial intelligence systems into schools and questioned whether their presence in classrooms should be treated as inevitable. The discussion followed Mamdani’s decision the previous month to prohibit the use of artificial intelligence in the city’s elementary and middle schools, a measure that TechCrunch linked to his position that educational communities should be able to debate how and when these tools are introduced.
The discussion also addressed companies’ responsibility when their technologies are used in situations with serious consequences. Mamdani questioned the adoption of systems without sufficient evaluation of their limitations and warned against the tendency to present artificial intelligence as an infallible technology. During his remarks, according to TechCrunch, he argued that the systems’ results and applications should be examined and challenged, rather than accepting that only the people who develop them are qualified to oversee them.
The event also coincided with the debate over the growth of the physical infrastructure that supports these systems. Data centers, which require substantial energy resources, have become a focus of discussion among public officials, companies and communities affected by their construction. In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul had established a moratorium in July on certain large-scale data center projects, while legislative initiatives moved forward to provide greater legal certainty for the restrictions.
In this context, Mamdani expressed support for the Responsible Data Center Development Act, an initiative seeking to incorporate into state law the moratorium established through an executive order by Hochul. The bill had been approved by both chambers of the state Legislature in June and was awaiting the governor’s decision. The measure was introduced by State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, who has argued that establishing the restrictions by law would reduce the risk of future administrations overturning them through administrative changes.
Beyond the mayor’s remarks, the vision behind The People’s AI Assembly rests on a broader reflection about who should benefit from technological advances and who bears their consequences. In a text published on the event’s official website, Amba Kak and Sarah Myers West, co-executive directors of AI Now Institute, argue that the debate should not be limited to new applications and digital assistants, but should examine how power, economic benefits and the risks associated with artificial intelligence are distributed.
In that document, Kak and Myers West warn that the development model promoted by part of the industry could reinforce existing inequalities and concentrate decision-making in the hands of a small number of companies. In response, they call for the creation of institutions capable of building trust, strengthening community ties and ensuring that people affected by technological decisions can participate meaningfully. Their proposal places accountability, individual autonomy and democratic governance among the central elements of any alternative.
The co-directors’ text also rejects the idea that the future of artificial intelligence must be presented as a choice between promises of absolute prosperity and scenarios of inevitable catastrophe. Instead, it proposes recognizing that decisions about the design, development and implementation of these technologies remain open to human intervention. The assembly was conceived precisely as a space to bring together people and organizations interested in discussing those alternatives and strengthening public participation.
The selection of participants reflects this approach. In addition to specialists in technology policy, the program included representatives of labor organizations and communities opposing certain data center projects. Among them were leaders associated with campaigns for workers’ rights, environmental justice and the defense of communities facing the expansion of technological infrastructure. The agenda sought to connect broader discussions about artificial intelligence with its potential consequences for employment, public services and local environments.
With this gathering, AI Now Institute and More Perfect Union placed public oversight of artificial intelligence at the center of a discussion that extends beyond the development of new tools. The Manhattan event brought together proposals on regulation, education, labor and infrastructure around a common question: how to ensure that decisions about the technological future also respond to the needs and rights of the people affected by them.
With information from Biz Republic
