Brief
SpaceX to testify at NYC Council AI safety hearing after subpoena
SpaceX will send a representative to a Friday hearing after the council warned of court action.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Elon Musk’s SpaceX has agreed to testify before the New York City Council on AI safety, according to Council Speaker Julie Menin. The company will send a representative on Friday, following a subpoena issued on Sept. 28.
Menin said the hearing is needed so New Yorkers can hear directly from firms developing powerful AI about safeguards and accountability. She called SpaceX’s earlier absence "unacceptable" and stressed that self‑regulation is insufficient.
The council warned it would petition the New York State Supreme Court to enforce the subpoena if SpaceX did not comply. The hearing follows a marathon session that featured virtual appearances by officials from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google and Meta, as well as safety experts and whistleblowers such as former Anthropic researcher Jacob Cox.
Cox, who left Anthropic last month, warned of a "greater than 10% chance" that AI could wipe out humanity and described the industry as "extremely reckless given the stakes." He told council members that the typical startup mindset of "move fast, break things, fix them later" is unsuitable for the most powerful technology ever built.
Councilwoman Carmen De La Rosa, chair of the technology committee, alleged SpaceX tried to "circumvent our city’s public conversation on the dangers of AI." The council’s statement emphasized the need for robust data‑privacy, safeguard and whistleblower‑protection measures.
SpaceX, which includes Musk’s rocket, satellite and xAI businesses, went public in June. The Post has reached out for comment on who will represent the firm at the upcoming hearing.
Key facts
- SpaceX agreed to testify before the NYC Council on AI safety (nypost.com)
- Council Speaker Julie Menin issued the subpoena on Sept. 28 (nypost.com)
- Former Anthropic researcher Jacob Cox warned of a >10% chance AI could wipe out humanity (nypost.com)
- Councilwoman Carmen De La Rosa said SpaceX tried to circumvent the public conversation (nypost.com)
Sources
- [1] nypost.com — originally reported as “Elon Musk’s SpaceX set to testify at NYC Council hearing on AI safety after getting subpoena”
