SpaceX has agreed to testify at New York City Council’s AI safety hearing on Friday. The agreement follows a subpoena and a warning that lawmakers would seek court enforcement. Council leaders want answers about safeguards, data privacy and accountability. The company missed an earlier hearing attended by representatives of four other major AI companies.
SpaceX has agreed to testify before New York City Council’s technology committee on Friday about AI safety. The company includes the xAI model business alongside its rocket and satellite operations. Council Speaker Julie Menin says the agreement follows a warning that lawmakers would ask a state judge to enforce a subpoena. The council has not identified the representative the company plans to send.[1], [2]
The council issued its subpoena on 28 September. SpaceX did not attend the earlier AI safety hearing on 5 October, while representatives of Anthropic, OpenAI, Google and Meta participated. Lawmakers then threatened to petition the New York State Supreme Court to enforce the company’s attendance. The new agreement secures a future appearance; the Friday hearing has not taken place. Menin says lawmakers need answers about the safeguards companies use and accountability when those safeguards fail.[1]
Technology committee chair Carmen DeLaRosa wants information on data-privacy safeguards and protections for people reporting problems inside companies. She accuses SpaceX of avoiding public debate. Menin argues that industry self-regulation is insufficient. The earlier hearing also included safety experts, among them former Anthropic employee Jacob Coxon, who criticised the sector’s emphasis on moving rapidly while developing powerful technology. SpaceX’s agreement concerns participation in the council’s inquiry, with its answers still to be given at the scheduled session.[1]
