The NYC Office of Algorithmic Accountability is the new oversight body created under New York City’s GUARD Act, passed by the New York City Council on 25 November 2025. The initiative is part of a broader effort to place city use of artificial intelligence and automated decision systems under formal rules after years of largely voluntary guidance.
The package was led by Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez, chair of the Council’s Committee on Technology, with support from Council Member Julie Menin. It responds to the growing use of AI in high-stakes municipal functions, including housing, policing, benefits administration, enforcement and service delivery. According to the Council, the previous approach under the Office of Technology and Innovation relied on non-binding principles and lacked enforcement powers.
The GUARD Act introduces three main elements: creation of the Office of Algorithmic Accountability; citywide standards for fairness testing, privacy, transparency and independent evaluation; and a requirement to publish a public list of AI systems that have undergone pre-deployment assessment. The new office is meant to audit and monitor agency AI tools, investigate complaints, review procurement and deployment practices, and publish the systems it examines. The package also includes an AI Positioning Document and a Grassroots AI Digital Literacy Initiative.
The project’s goal is not to ban AI, but to establish a municipal framework that can oversee its use before deployment rather than after problems arise. The Council describes it as one of the first comprehensive city-level AI governance frameworks in the United States.