WEBVTT - New York Governor Kathy Hochul Talks NYC Mayoral Race 0:00:02.520 --> 0:00:07.040 Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio news. 0:00:07.880 --> 0:00:11.840 Another event happening downtown is the Primary Venture Partner's annual 0:00:11.880 --> 0:00:14.640 New York City Summit, and this year, Bloomberg Tech co 0:00:14.720 --> 0:00:17.600 host Caroline Hyde is there and she is sitting down 0:00:17.640 --> 0:00:20.320 right now with the New York Governor, Kathy Hulkl. Caroline, 0:00:20.320 --> 0:00:21.080 I'll hand it over to. 0:00:21.040 --> 0:00:24.440 You, Scarlet. 0:00:24.440 --> 0:00:26.320 Thank you, and I can't think of a better person 0:00:26.360 --> 0:00:29.640 to be sitting down with about how AI is embraced 0:00:29.680 --> 0:00:32.559 by this state, by this city. Governor Hokel, thank you 0:00:32.560 --> 0:00:35.000 for being with us today. And I think of twenty 0:00:35.040 --> 0:00:37.320 twenty four when you first announce empower AI, when you 0:00:37.320 --> 0:00:40.000 think about being at the forefront of transformational change that 0:00:40.040 --> 0:00:42.760 AI is going to bring, what is your answer for 0:00:42.800 --> 0:00:44.479 what New York's competitive edge is. 0:00:45.080 --> 0:00:47.080 This has taken us to a whole new level. This 0:00:47.200 --> 0:00:49.560 was important me. I'm a New Yorker, I'm compedive, I 0:00:49.640 --> 0:00:51.879 want to be number one. And so we saw the 0:00:51.880 --> 0:00:55.400 great potential from friends that I'd have in the industry. 0:00:55.480 --> 0:00:58.360 Tom Secunda and others brought an idea to me that 0:00:58.400 --> 0:01:01.600 we could have this incredible first of the nation partnership 0:01:01.640 --> 0:01:06.160 between academia, state government, and the private sector. So literally 0:01:06.160 --> 0:01:09.440 the idea was talked about over breakfast in October. I 0:01:09.480 --> 0:01:12.479 had in my state of the state three months later 0:01:13.120 --> 0:01:15.759 and was able to secure four hundred million dollars from 0:01:15.800 --> 0:01:17.920 the legislature. We had to persuade them that this was 0:01:17.959 --> 0:01:21.360 in the public interest, and I will tell you we 0:01:21.480 --> 0:01:23.960 now had another ninety million or over almost five hundred 0:01:23.959 --> 0:01:27.399 million dollars invested and has exceeded all expectations. 0:01:27.440 --> 0:01:28.600 And so it is. 0:01:29.680 --> 0:01:32.720 I put together an Emerging Technologies task Force that is 0:01:32.800 --> 0:01:36.000 co chaired by the CEO of IBM as well as 0:01:36.040 --> 0:01:38.319 the CEO of Girls Who Code, because I want to 0:01:38.319 --> 0:01:41.120 make sure that we're diversifying the workforce. I want to 0:01:41.120 --> 0:01:43.520 see more women. I want to seek of color, and 0:01:43.560 --> 0:01:45.840 that's why New York is such an attractive place all 0:01:45.880 --> 0:01:48.840 across the world. But in our AI space, I wanted 0:01:49.120 --> 0:01:51.760 Bill used to be the researchers, the thinkers, the innovators 0:01:51.760 --> 0:01:56.160 of solving some of the society's greatest problems. So I 0:01:56.200 --> 0:01:59.520 literally spent a day on this weekend up in Buffalo, 0:01:59.600 --> 0:02:03.520 my home, saw what they're doing there, and part that 0:02:03.600 --> 0:02:06.960 made me so proud was that we're about to announce 0:02:07.080 --> 0:02:10.840 in a few months our AI Beta, which is eleven 0:02:10.880 --> 0:02:14.000 times more powerful than what I already have now with 0:02:14.160 --> 0:02:16.600 our alpha we just we just launched, so we're already 0:02:16.840 --> 0:02:21.919 going to next level opportunities in a very short time. 0:02:21.960 --> 0:02:24.400 But they're also bringing in more people to our states, 0:02:24.400 --> 0:02:27.600 and this was important, more of the brilliant people the 0:02:27.600 --> 0:02:30.720 professors were attracting from other universities. They have so many 0:02:30.960 --> 0:02:33.760 students who want to become part of this, not just 0:02:33.800 --> 0:02:35.400 you be because this is for all of our universities 0:02:35.440 --> 0:02:37.680 across the state. They all want a piece of this 0:02:38.040 --> 0:02:41.080 because they can do their research and their PhD work 0:02:41.440 --> 0:02:43.520 with power that no other student in the country will have. 0:02:43.560 --> 0:02:45.920 About talent there, and you have lent in particular to 0:02:45.960 --> 0:02:46.680 the labor. 0:02:46.440 --> 0:02:48.520 That's needed, energies needed. 0:02:48.840 --> 0:02:51.520 How do we have to embrace fossil fuels and nuclear 0:02:51.520 --> 0:02:53.040 if we're going to have the resources for them. 0:02:53.240 --> 0:02:55.440 I have in all the above approach. But first of all, 0:02:56.120 --> 0:02:58.600 one of the reasons EMPIREI is housed up with the 0:02:58.639 --> 0:03:01.200 University of Buffalo is that I have enormous amount of 0:03:01.240 --> 0:03:04.160 supply of hydro electric power from the Niagara plant there 0:03:04.200 --> 0:03:07.200 that powers about twenty five percent of our energy. Another 0:03:07.720 --> 0:03:11.200 twenty five percent of our upstate energy is nuclear already. 0:03:11.680 --> 0:03:14.120 I want to add more nuclear. I'll be the first 0:03:14.280 --> 0:03:17.840 governor in a generation, and a very rare Democratic governor 0:03:17.880 --> 0:03:20.400 who says, I can't assume that we're going to have 0:03:20.440 --> 0:03:24.919 the power available now. I need sustainability, reliability, and affordability, 0:03:25.200 --> 0:03:27.040 and I'm going to do that. And we're also looking 0:03:27.080 --> 0:03:31.600 at you know, natural gas and other areas. But we 0:03:31.639 --> 0:03:32.600 have wind and solar. 0:03:32.960 --> 0:03:35.760 You vote for wind, I say winding, Yeah, say win. 0:03:35.840 --> 0:03:37.760 What did you say to President Trump's keep wind? 0:03:37.840 --> 0:03:40.000 I said that you have fifteen hundred people who just 0:03:40.080 --> 0:03:43.160 lost their jobs when you shut it down. This will 0:03:43.200 --> 0:03:46.560 power five hundred thousand homes of the clean energy in Brooklyn. 0:03:47.000 --> 0:03:49.680 But back to those those people who lost their jobs, 0:03:49.880 --> 0:03:51.920 mister president, a lot of them are from Long Island. 0:03:52.240 --> 0:03:54.080 I think a lot of them voted for you. So 0:03:54.400 --> 0:03:57.200 why don't you tell them that we'll lift the stop 0:03:57.240 --> 0:04:01.760 work order, stop this poor company from heriaging fifty million 0:04:01.720 --> 0:04:04.240 dollars a week, get them back going again, and we 0:04:04.280 --> 0:04:07.040 are successful. But I also said I'm looking at all 0:04:07.080 --> 0:04:11.120 the above approach to energy. So work with me, find 0:04:11.160 --> 0:04:13.400 a faster way to get me nuclear too, mister president. 0:04:13.800 --> 0:04:16.159 Because seven of the ten years that it takes to 0:04:16.160 --> 0:04:19.640 get nuclear approvals is at the federal government level. He said, 0:04:19.720 --> 0:04:24.240 I'll look at my streamline processes, you streamline yours, and 0:04:24.360 --> 0:04:25.520 let's get this done sooner. 0:04:26.040 --> 0:04:29.040 What's interesting is you're putting people first, and you've been 0:04:29.200 --> 0:04:31.880 very vocal about the safety element of AI. 0:04:32.560 --> 0:04:34.080 I want to go back to what's on your desk 0:04:34.120 --> 0:04:36.600 at the moment the RAYS Act? Are you going to 0:04:36.680 --> 0:04:37.320 sign it off? 0:04:37.440 --> 0:04:41.919 Because this is about protecting foundational models and ensuring that 0:04:41.920 --> 0:04:43.840 they're secure and their security. 0:04:43.600 --> 0:04:46.080 Right right, it's I'm looking at I have to be honest. 0:04:46.080 --> 0:04:48.080 Our policy is and when there's a bill on my desk, 0:04:48.120 --> 0:04:49.720 we don't talk about it until I'm ready to sign. 0:04:49.720 --> 0:04:52.760 I have over nine hundred bills or on my desk. 0:04:52.839 --> 0:04:54.960 They have to be signed by the or vetoed by 0:04:55.040 --> 0:04:57.279 the end of the year. So it's obviously we're looking 0:04:57.279 --> 0:04:59.800 at dead seriously. But we have been leaders in protecting 0:04:59.800 --> 0:05:04.039 our shouldn't in particular from AI chatbots and making sure 0:05:04.080 --> 0:05:07.720 that when someone starts to talking about suicidal thoughts that 0:05:07.800 --> 0:05:12.320 the platform will provide them resources and support, and just 0:05:12.320 --> 0:05:14.800 trying to find different ways because this is the whole 0:05:14.800 --> 0:05:17.919 new front here, right It's hard to know what the 0:05:18.040 --> 0:05:20.919 challenges and the problems are going to be when. 0:05:20.720 --> 0:05:21.760 You're just starting out. 0:05:21.839 --> 0:05:24.160 But we have to be that forward thinking. I have 0:05:24.240 --> 0:05:27.039 to protect New Yorkers as well as our businesses. But 0:05:27.120 --> 0:05:30.080 let the tech industry know this is the place you 0:05:30.120 --> 0:05:33.520 want to be. We're innovative, we're smart, we have the talent, 0:05:33.960 --> 0:05:36.800 and I'll make sure we break down barriers to your success. 0:05:37.080 --> 0:05:41.279 Is they're a worry from those foundational LLM creators, the 0:05:41.440 --> 0:05:42.159 likes of open AI. 0:05:42.240 --> 0:05:44.640 About that regulation, well. 0:05:44.400 --> 0:05:47.120 I think people prefer I have a federal regulation. I mean, 0:05:47.160 --> 0:05:49.960 think about the responsibly of the federal government. I mean, 0:05:50.120 --> 0:05:52.720 these companies don't know boundaries. I mean they're all over 0:05:53.040 --> 0:05:56.240 the plannet, so it's hard when one state has a 0:05:56.279 --> 0:05:58.680 set of rules, another state does another state. I don't 0:05:58.720 --> 0:06:03.000 think that's a model for or inspiring innovation. But a 0:06:03.040 --> 0:06:06.479 lot of companies should be adopting these internal controls themselves. 0:06:07.080 --> 0:06:10.479 That's always one step they can take to assure people 0:06:10.520 --> 0:06:13.760 in government that they've done what is necessary. But in 0:06:13.800 --> 0:06:16.320 the absence of that, Doteral Garnment needs to be looking 0:06:16.320 --> 0:06:17.840 at these policies as well. 0:06:17.880 --> 0:06:22.040 These startups, these foundational and M model creators and big 0:06:22.080 --> 0:06:25.960 business also really care not just about regulation but about taxation. 0:06:26.560 --> 0:06:29.960 And with the new bill coming from President Trump, there 0:06:30.040 --> 0:06:30.279 might be. 0:06:30.279 --> 0:06:31.640 A hole coming here the next year or so. 0:06:31.920 --> 0:06:35.000 How are you thinking about that landscape for the people 0:06:35.080 --> 0:06:35.800 we want to come. 0:06:35.640 --> 0:06:38.120 Here and build AI for the empire? Right right? 0:06:38.520 --> 0:06:43.320 I am very sensitive to competitiveness with other states. I've 0:06:43.360 --> 0:06:45.600 said I don't want to raise income taxes on high 0:06:45.680 --> 0:06:47.800 net worth people. I want them to know that New 0:06:47.880 --> 0:06:50.000 York is a place where we want to foster innovation. 0:06:51.440 --> 0:06:54.800 Be open to your success, because your success means you're 0:06:54.880 --> 0:06:57.919 hiring more people, you're putting more human wor up, and 0:06:58.000 --> 0:07:00.880 to the extent that you're willing to seek out future 0:07:00.920 --> 0:07:03.880 employees in some of the neighborhoods that have been underserved, 0:07:04.080 --> 0:07:06.400 Like this is what Micron is doing as part of 0:07:06.400 --> 0:07:09.880 our deal to get the largest semiconductor of manufacturing facility 0:07:10.440 --> 0:07:13.160 investment in American history and one of great realu is 0:07:13.240 --> 0:07:15.560 right out of Syracuse. I landed that my early days 0:07:15.600 --> 0:07:17.760 as governor. I said, I'm not losing this one. But 0:07:18.200 --> 0:07:20.239 part of it is they have to have a green 0:07:20.440 --> 0:07:24.720 energy policy, sustainability, and they're also looking for talent and 0:07:24.840 --> 0:07:28.120 changing curriculums in the schools around Syracuse, some of the 0:07:28.120 --> 0:07:30.800 neighborhoods that your kids would never have a chance to 0:07:30.840 --> 0:07:33.920 have these jobs and Micron because there are a lot 0:07:33.960 --> 0:07:38.400 of strong sense of social responsibility, they're partnering with us 0:07:38.680 --> 0:07:41.160 to help that. So companies that show that kind of 0:07:41.320 --> 0:07:44.120 enlightenment to me will open a lot of doors for them. 0:07:44.240 --> 0:07:46.120 You take care of my people will take care of you. 0:07:46.520 --> 0:07:48.960 And you're thinking about that from a whole state perspective. 0:07:49.240 --> 0:07:51.640 But some of the founders and CEOs I speak to 0:07:51.640 --> 0:07:54.120 you here in the city, Well, they're worried about the 0:07:54.160 --> 0:07:57.640 next leader of the city. They're thinking about the mayoral candidate. 0:07:57.640 --> 0:08:00.240 They're thinking about Mabdaney in particular, and he's we've got 0:08:00.320 --> 0:08:03.600 high tax ideas. How are you convincing them to stay 0:08:03.600 --> 0:08:04.200 here in the state. 0:08:04.320 --> 0:08:06.800 Well, they need to know. One thing is that the 0:08:06.840 --> 0:08:09.800 City of New York, as powerful and mighty as it is, 0:08:09.840 --> 0:08:13.200 it's still a subdivision of the state. So any tax 0:08:13.320 --> 0:08:16.920 increase has to come across my desk first. So I 0:08:17.000 --> 0:08:19.640 will work with whoever the mayor is as long as 0:08:19.640 --> 0:08:23.000 they want to help foster my policies, which is pro growth, 0:08:23.040 --> 0:08:27.760 pro business, and if it's Mandami. I will work closely 0:08:27.880 --> 0:08:30.720 with him to help him understand that when we want 0:08:30.760 --> 0:08:34.320 to solve society's problems, and there are many, that we 0:08:34.360 --> 0:08:37.439 also have the resources to do it. And so that 0:08:37.520 --> 0:08:40.320 means letting people know that we appreciate you being here. 0:08:40.520 --> 0:08:44.160 You're building companies, you're creating wealth, you're hiring people, you're 0:08:44.200 --> 0:08:47.280 supporting our cultures and our philanthreyes, and that we welcome 0:08:47.320 --> 0:08:49.600 you to be here and know that this is your home. 0:08:49.800 --> 0:08:52.319 So I'll continue on that effort, but we do have 0:08:52.360 --> 0:08:54.760 a lot of challenges on affordability. I think he hit 0:08:54.760 --> 0:08:57.040 a nerve. He hit a real nerve, which is why 0:08:57.080 --> 0:08:59.880 people want at this point in the polls are showing 0:09:00.640 --> 0:09:03.880 an inclination towards supporting him. Is because he's talked about 0:09:03.880 --> 0:09:05.600 what I've been talking about for a long time, is 0:09:05.600 --> 0:09:08.240 that people feel like they're just not getting ahead. 0:09:08.480 --> 0:09:10.920 Yeah, well, a sensitive question. 0:09:10.960 --> 0:09:12.679 And I know you say time and time again you 0:09:12.720 --> 0:09:15.280 don't want to influence the vote, but would you lend 0:09:15.400 --> 0:09:16.360 him your endorsements? 0:09:17.240 --> 0:09:19.400 I'm having conversations about all kinds of because there are 0:09:19.400 --> 0:09:22.760 a lot of very strong philosophical differences. I am a 0:09:22.800 --> 0:09:28.040 staunch capitalist and so I need to know that people 0:09:28.120 --> 0:09:31.160 can have a certain philosophy, but you got to govern 0:09:31.760 --> 0:09:34.880 in reality. And the reality is that this is the 0:09:34.880 --> 0:09:37.439 financial center of the world. We want to make sure 0:09:37.440 --> 0:09:39.120 that this is known as the tech center of the world, 0:09:39.160 --> 0:09:41.640 the innovation capital, and I want to make sure we 0:09:41.720 --> 0:09:44.720 inspire people to come here. Where I do have fear 0:09:45.040 --> 0:09:48.120 is that the policy is out of Washington with Donald Trump. 0:09:48.320 --> 0:09:52.080 He's going to stimy that because forty seven percent of 0:09:52.160 --> 0:09:55.720 new startups in the tech space are founded by people 0:09:55.720 --> 0:09:59.199 who are foreign born. So if those students stop coming 0:09:59.240 --> 0:10:02.440 to our universe cities and we stop attracting people who 0:10:02.520 --> 0:10:05.439 are the most brilliant in the world, they don't feel 0:10:05.480 --> 0:10:08.880 that there's an open door for them to be here 0:10:08.920 --> 0:10:11.000 in the state of New York. Well, they're welcome here, 0:10:11.000 --> 0:10:13.199 but not in our country, and there's barriers to that. 0:10:13.240 --> 0:10:15.559 That's something we have to overcome, and I'm really fearful 0:10:15.559 --> 0:10:18.760 about that long term effect of that on our ability 0:10:18.760 --> 0:10:20.440 to remain competitive with the rest of the world. When 0:10:20.440 --> 0:10:24.040 these people are being recruited, people who are already here 0:10:24.280 --> 0:10:27.480 to go to other countries upon graduation or not come 0:10:27.520 --> 0:10:29.720 here in the first place, how do we overcome that 0:10:29.800 --> 0:10:31.760 and that's what troubles me greatly. 0:10:31.920 --> 0:10:35.480 Very briefly, a way you could drive revenue casinos, would 0:10:35.480 --> 0:10:37.080 you have one hand in Manhattan. 0:10:37.360 --> 0:10:40.079 I am not allowed to have my thumb on the scale, 0:10:40.120 --> 0:10:41.679 and that the way it's set up, there's all sorts 0:10:41.679 --> 0:10:45.040 of prohibitions, but it will drive money. I think it's 0:10:45.080 --> 0:10:47.440 going to be a real boost for tourism as well 0:10:47.480 --> 0:10:49.240 in the right place. So there'll be three of them, 0:10:49.559 --> 0:10:52.920 and so I'm looking forward very much to welcoming those dollars. 0:10:53.160 --> 0:10:56.360 It's about tourism, it's about talent, it's about MPII. 0:10:56.559 --> 0:10:57.560 It's been wonderful having you. 0:10:57.600 --> 0:10:59.000 Thank you very much. I appreciate that. 0:10:59.080 --> 0:11:02.360 Govna Hookel. Back to you, Scarlett in the studio. 0:11:02.320 --> 0:11:04.760 All right, thank you so much. Bloomber Tech co anchored 0:11:04.760 --> 0:11:07.480 Caroline Hi for that conversation with the New York Governor 0:11:07.559 --> 0:11:08.439 Kathy Hokel.