What happened: Former employees of Anthropic, OpenAI and Google DeepMind testified before the New York City Council on October 5, warning that AI capabilities are advancing faster than current oversight.
Why it matters: The hearing shows that AI governance is increasingly moving beyond Washington. Cities and states are considering transparency, third-party review and whistleblower protections while federal action remains limited.
What companies said: Representatives from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and Meta also testified and emphasized safety efforts and the benefits of their systems.
Trust Watch™ takeaway: The central policy fight is shifting from whether AI poses risks to who should define and enforce acceptable safeguards.
Source: Associated Press, October 5, 2026.