New York City seniors raise AI concerns at Harlem town hall

Concerns about the potential dangers of artificial intelligence took center stage at a Harlem community forum Monday, where senior citizens discussed how they use the technology and how it could be used against them.

The packed town hall at the A. Philip Randolph Senior Center was hosted by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who has called for greater guardrails and public education as AI becomes more prevalent.

Some attendees said they have found practical uses for AI.

“I use AI when I’m doing a text message because I like the idea it gives you a concise writing of what you want to say, so I use it for that purpose, but I don’t use it for anything else,” Glenda Brown said.

“I do like AI. It’s very informative,” attendee Rev. John Dillard said.

However, some are concerned the prevalence of AI technology could be used in scams targeting older adults.

“Using their social security number especially, they can open up accounts all over the place, they can buy a home, they can buy a car,” Brown said.

Williams has proposed a series of AI guardrails, including protections for workers whose jobs could be affected by artificial intelligence and citywide public AI literacy training.

“What if you can go backwards, and set the guardrails, set the guidelines from the beginning?” Williams said during the meeting. “I always feel like information is the best way to combat concerns and fears.”

Williams also recently released a report outlining the need for AI governance, including transparency and consent requirements for AI technology and holding companies accountable for false information generated or distributed through AI.

The concerns raised at the Harlem forum came as New York officials highlighted another potential threat from AI: the creation of nonconsensual sexual deepfakes.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced Monday that his office had seized the domains of 12 websites accused of using artificial intelligence to create and distribute nonconsensual sexual deepfake videos.

“We identified more than 1,200 people whose images were turned into deep fakes. That is 1,200 people whose likenesses, including their faces and their bodies, were turned into AI pornography,” Bragg said.

The discussion in New York also came shortly after President Donald Trump publicly dismissed concerns about AI’s rapid development.

“We're leading China in AI. We’re the most sophisticated country in the world and frankly, I want to keep it that way because whoever wins AI, wins,” Trump said.