Friday, December 12, 2025
Welcome to another Friday edition of the Tech:NYC Digest, featuring our favorite five highlights in New York and tech this week.
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NY Gov. Kathy Hochul proposes major changes to AI bill 🤖✍️ (Axios)
Last night, President Trump signed an executive order aimed at preventing states from regulating AI. Today, the RAISE Act, which would impose certain requirements on the development of large AI models in New York in an effort to try and tackle safety concerns, is on Governor Kathy Hochul’s desk.
Tech:NYC President and CEO Julie Samuels calls this an “historic opportunity to step up and deliver the clear, balanced framework that New Yorkers and the entire nation need.”
“By aligning our law with CA, we don’t just pass a state law — we help create the de facto national standard. NY can deliver consistent framework balancing innovation and safety.”
Fleece, love, and vomit: New Yorkers’ best (and worst) SantaCon stories (New York Times)
New Yorkers shared their most unforgettable SantaCon memories, from subway-polite Santas to synagogue-attending Santas.
SantaCon’s colorful past — from 1990s “Santarchy” to UN mock-protests — contrasts with today’s raucous bar crawls, which some describe as magical and others… less so. 🎅
Miscount of NYC mayors spans centuries, archive search confirms 🗂️(Gothamist)
For all you numerologists out there (we know you read this, Taylor Swift): Archival sleuthing has revealed that New York has been miscounting its mayors for centuries, meaning Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will actually be number 112, not 111. 🔍
Researcher Michael Lorenzini uncovered 1674 court minutes proving Matthias Nicolls served a second term long overlooked in official tallies, throwing off every number since mayor seven.
As U.S. transit takes a dive, MTA enjoys a rarity: More service and stable cash flow (The CITY)
While systems nationwide slash service, the MTA is adding subway and bus trips, all while balancing its budget. 🚇
Weekday service is up on 13 subway lines and buses thanks to returning ridership, dedicated taxes, and a 2023 boost from Albany that averted the pandemic “fiscal cliff.”
Casino-licensing revenue and payroll-mobility taxes are padding the bottom line and have us looking toward the light at the end of the (subway) tunnel.
He carries shelter dogs around the city in a backpack to help get them adopted 🐶 (Washington Post)
Filmmaker-turned-dog-evangelist Bryan Reisberg has taken 11 shelter pups on NYC adventures — and 10 were adopted after starring in his viral videos.
Once a week, he zips a shelter dog into an “adopt me” backpack, rides the subway, lets strangers fall in love, and films the whole thing.
His videos now have 75 million+ views and have turbocharged adoptions at Best Friends Animal Society.
Have a paws-itively amazing weekend, New York! 🐾
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