Fact Check: On October 26, 2023, New York state lawmakers passed the RAISE Act, which aims to prevent frontier AI models from contributing to disasters that result in the death or injury of more than 100 people or more than $1 billion in damages.

Fact Check: "On October 26, 2023, New York state lawmakers passed the RAISE Act, which aims to prevent frontier AI models from contributing to disasters that result in the death or injury of more than 100 people or more than $1 billion in damages."

What We Know

The claim states that the RAISE Act was passed on October 26, 2023, with specific aims regarding frontier AI models and disaster prevention. However, the RAISE Act, officially known as the Responsible AI Safety and Education Act, was actually passed by New York state lawmakers on June 12, 2025, not October 26, 2023 (Sen. Gounardes' AI Safety Bill Passes the State Senate). The act requires large AI developers to create safety plans to mitigate risks associated with AI technologies, particularly those that could lead to widespread harm or destruction (NY State Assembly Bill 2025-A6453A).

The legislation does not specifically mention thresholds such as "death or injury of more than 100 people" or "more than $1 billion in damages" as criteria for its enforcement. Instead, it focuses on ensuring that AI companies have protocols in place to prevent severe risks, including automated crime and bioweapons (New York passes a bill to prevent AI-fueled disasters).

Analysis

The claim misrepresents both the timing and the content of the RAISE Act. The assertion that it was passed on October 26, 2023, is factually incorrect, as the bill was passed in June 2025 (Sen. Gounardes' AI Safety Bill Passes the State Senate). Furthermore, the claim about specific thresholds for death or financial damages does not align with the actual provisions of the RAISE Act, which instead emphasizes the need for safety plans from AI companies without specifying numerical thresholds for disaster impacts (New York passes a bill to prevent AI-fueled disasters).

The sources used to verify this information are credible, including official legislative documents and press releases from the New York State Senate, which provide accurate details about the bill's passage and its intended purpose. The claim lacks support from reliable sources and appears to be a misinterpretation or misrepresentation of the actual legislative content.

Conclusion

Verdict: False. The claim that the RAISE Act was passed on October 26, 2023, and that it includes specific thresholds for disaster prevention is incorrect. The act was passed on June 12, 2025, and does not specify the criteria mentioned in the claim.

Sources

1. Sen. Gounardes' AI Safety Bill Passes the State Senate
2. NY State Assembly Bill 2025-A6453A
3. Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2025
4. New York passes a bill to prevent AI-fueled disasters
5. New York passes a bill to prevent AI-fueled disasters
6. New York passes a bill to prevent AI-fueled disasters
7. N.Y. lawmakers pass bill to regulate powerful AI systems
8. Sen. Gounardes' AI safety bill clears both chambers of NY