Building a Publicly Owned AI for All New Yorkers
This plan outlines New York City's initiative to build, own, and operate an open-source large language model (NYC-LLM). It is a strategic investment in public infrastructure, designed to reduce educational inequality, prepare our workforce for the future, and ensure NYC leads in the development of ethical, civic AI.
Why This Matters: Core Principles
The NYC-LLM is founded on four key pillars that ensure it serves the public good, fostering a more equitable and prosperous city for generations to come.
Equity
Provide free, high-quality AI educational tools for all students, especially benefiting low-income and non-native English speaking communities.
Sovereignty
Maintain city control over our model and data, avoiding vendor lock-in and ensuring resident data is protected, not exploited.
Workforce Readiness
Offer fine-tuned modules to prepare residents for city jobs, civil service exams, and high-growth technology careers.
Economic Multiplier
Stimulate the local economy by creating new AI jobs, fostering university partnerships, and seeding civic tech innovation.
The Plan: A Phased Approach
The rollout is structured in three strategic phases, from a focused pilot to a full-scale, sustainable citywide system. Click each phase to explore its objectives and funding.
Estimated Funding by Phase (Millions USD)
Scope & Measured Impact
The NYC-LLM will deliver a wide range of capabilities for residents, with success measured by clear, transparent Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
Core Capabilities
- ✓Multilingual Study Help: Support for homework, test prep, and reading comprehension for students at all levels.
- ✓Workforce Training Modules: Specialized prep for civil service exams, municipal jobs, and trade certifications.
- ✓Tools for Teachers: Privacy-preserving resources for lesson plan generation and student progress tracking.
- ✓Public & Developer Access: User-friendly apps for the public and a governed API for vetted civic partners.
Success Metrics (KPIs)
- ★Access & Adoption: Track usage across DOE schools, libraries, and student populations.
- ★Educational Outcomes: Measure improvements in test scores and skill assessments versus control groups.
- ★Workforce Placement: Monitor pass rates for civil service exams and placement into city jobs.
- ★Equity & Safety: Report on usage by demographic and maintain a zero-incident privacy breach record.
Implementation Roadmap
This timeline outlines the key milestones from initial setup to achieving global leadership in civic AI, culminating in the immediate actions required from City Council.
0–18 Months: The Pilot
Convene stakeholders, form the NYC AI Board, secure pilot funding, and run the pilot in 25 schools, 10 CUNY labs, and 10 libraries. Monitor, evaluate, and adjust.
18 Months–5 Years: Scaling Up
Roll out citywide across the DOE, integrate with workforce centers, launch the NYC AI Academy, and secure long-term funding for infrastructure and operations.
5–25 Years: Sustained Leadership
Pursue continuous model modernization, build a permanent local talent pipeline, and establish NYC as a global leader in collaborative, civic-AI development.
Immediate Asks for City Council
To begin this transformative project, we request immediate authorization for the following:
- Approve pilot budget of $25M.
- Authorize a secure data-sharing framework.
- Form the independent NYC AI Board.
- Authorize partnerships with CUNY and others.
Governance & Partnerships
A robust ecosystem of oversight and collaboration is essential to the project's success, ensuring it remains transparent, ethical, and aligned with community needs.
Independent Oversight
NYC AI Board
An independent body of educators, civil-rights lawyers, technologists, and community representatives will be empowered to conduct model audits, approve datasets, and ensure public transparency.
Core Principles
- ✓ Annual Transparency Reports
- ✓ Community Co-Design Councils
- ✓ Strict Privacy-First Policies