Firms Evade NY's AI Law, Creating a Labor Impact Data Black Hole

Despite New York's disclosure law, a conspiracy of silence persists as no company has officially cited AI or automation for layoffs. This isn’t a failure of compliance but a strategic decision to avoid regulatory scrutiny, union backlash, and brand damage. The universal non-disclosure reveals a critical gap between the public narrative of AI-driven job displacement and the legally accountable reality, highlighting a deliberate corporate effort to operate without leaving a paper trail for workforce reduction.

This wall of silence effectively cripples policymakers, who need this data to design targeted retraining programs and social safety nets. It puts the onus on whistleblowers and journalists to uncover the true scope of AI's impact, forcing regulators to fly blind. This situation raises serious questions about the viability of self-disclosure as a regulatory model, suggesting that without stringent enforcement, such laws may prove completely ineffective in managing technological transitions.