City Bar Presidential Task Force on AI and Digital Tech Continued Fast and Productive Pace During the 4th Quarter 2024 and the 1st Quarter 2025

Introduction

Between December 2024 and March 31, 2025, the City Bar Presidential Task Force on Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies (1) continued its weekly efforts in coordination with the City Bar Advocacy Department to support the enactment of S. 1840/A 3307, a bill in the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly to modernize the New York Uniform Commercial Code (NY UCC Modernization Bill); (2) added a new crypto working group and a new subcommittee; (3) published two reports; (4) hosted an in-person Crypto Institute; (5) released five podcasts; and (6) hosted a webinar on the international regulation of artificial intelligence.

By March 31, 2025, the Task Force had 250 members, 14 artificial intelligence subcommittees, 14 digital technologies subcommittees, and 4 Task Force working groups.

Task Force Advocacy

On December 19, 2024, City Bar Director of Advocacy Elizabeth Kocienda; City Bar Associate Policy Counsel Raabia Qasim; and Task Force Co-Chairs Lorraine McGowen and Jerome Walker met by Microsoft Teams with American Fintech Council (AFC) Senior Vice President and Head of Policy and Regulatory Affairs Ian P. Moloney to discuss the support of AFC for the NY UCC Modernization Bill. In addition, on January 7, 2025, Elizabeth Kocienda; Raabia Qasim; and Lorraine McGowen and Jerome Walker hosted a follow-up meeting by Microsoft Teams with Ian P. Moloney to further discuss ways in which the AFC and the Task Force can work together in support of the NY UCC Modernization Bill. On February 10, 2025, Raabia Qasim, Lorraine McGowen and Jerome Walker hosted another meeting by Microsoft Teams with Ian P. Moloney to discuss specific actions steps to be taken by the AFC and the Task Force in support of the enactment of the NY UCC Modernization Bill and other issues.

On February 14, 2025, Raabia Qasim; Jerome Walker; Task Force Subcommittee on Articles and Blogs Co-Chair, Massachusetts Uniform Law Commissioner and Partner at Morgan Lewis Edwin Smith; and Task Force Special Advisor on the UCC and former 1901 Distinguished Research Professor of Law, Brooklyn Law School, Director of Research of the Permanent Editorial Board for the Uniform Commercial Code, and American Law Institute Member Neil Cohen hosted a follow up Microsoft Teams call with policymakers to discuss the enactment of the NY UCC Modernization Bill. On February 26, 2025, Raabia Qasim; Jerome Walker; Edwin Smith; and Neil Cohen followed up to address specific issues raised by policymakers during the February 14, 2025, Microsoft Teams call with policymakers.

On March 5, 2025, Task Force Members Edwin Smith and Jerome Walker along with Task Force Advisors Neil Cohen and Uniform Law Commission General Counsel Benjamin Orzeske updated the Task Force Talking Points and the Task Force Memo in Support of the enactment of the NY UCC Modernization Bill

On March 27, 2025, Lorraine McGowen and Jerome Walker hosted a zoom call with Brielle Christian, Senior Legislative Counsel at the New York State Office of Court Administration and Charlie P. Pensabene, Deputy Counsel, Civil & Legislative Matters at the New York State Office of Court Administration regarding the potential impact of the modernization of the New York Uniform Commercial Code on the New York judiciary.

Task Force Expansion

On January 10, 2025, the Task Force established a new Working Group on Trends and Developments in Crypto to monitor and analyze federal, state, and international developments in crypto with a view towards issuing written statements and reports on behalf of the Task Force. Most crypto commentators agree that the results of the US presidential elections mean that US policies on crypto will change and many state and international governments as well as market participants and other stakeholders will respond to those changes. As a Center of Excellence and Thought Leadership on digital technologies, it is critical that the Task Force play a leading role in analyzing these trends and developments and actively addressing those responses.

On February 19, 2025, upon the invitation of City Bar Disability Law Committee Co-Chairs Judge Ruth Pickholz and Judge Carol Sharpe, Jerome Walker made a presentation to the City Bar Disability Law Committee as a part of an arrangement between the Task Force and the City Bar Disability Law Committee to work together for the benefit of people with disabilities and underserved communities. Walker explained that the Task Force had established a Subcommittee on the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on People with Disabilities and Underserved Communities that will include a maximum of 10 members, 2 of which will be co-chairs. He also explained that the Task Force had reserved 3 subcommittee slots for members of the City Bar Disability Law Committee who are recommended to the Task Force by Judge Pickholz and Judge Sharpe, vetted and supported by the Task Force Co-Chairs. The members of the subcommittee include (1) Ariana Aboulafia, Disability Rights Advocate Project Lead at the Center for Democracy & Technology; (2) Michael Bervell, Founder and CEO at TestParty; (3) Cynthia Bennett, Senior Research Scientist, Responsible AI, Human-Computer Interaction, Disability, Accessibility at Google; (4) Larry Goldberg, former Head of Accessibility at Yahoo and Subcommittee Co-Chair; (5) Jutta Treviranus, Director and Professor, Inclusive Design Research Centre at the OCAD University, Toronto, Canada and Subcommittee Co-Chair; and (6) Sakeena Trice, Senior Staff Attorney at the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest. The primary mission of the subcommittee includes addressing the implications and impact of the use of artificial intelligence on people with disabilities and underserved communities and the response of the judiciary and policymakers at the federal, state, and local levels on enacting or modifying laws to take into account people with disabilities and underserved communities.

Task Force Reports

On January 28, 2025, the Task Force Subcommittee on Behavioral Science in Digital Technologies released a year-end review analysis titled 2024 Top Trends in Behavioral Science, Digital Technologies, Data, and AI in Compliance and Enforcement

On February 20, 2025, the Task Force Subcommittee on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Commerce and Finance released an analysis titled Reflections on US Treasury Department Report on AI in Financial Services

Task Force In-Person Programs and Subcommittee Presentations

On November 7, 2024, the Task Force Subcommittee on Artificial Intelligence and Access to Justice heard a presentation from Fordham Law Professor Bruce Green on the intersection of artificial intelligence and the unauthorized practice of law, and since then has embarked on a literature review of the relevant case law and scholarship, with an eye toward putting together a start-up guide for legal services organizations interested in incorporating artificial intelligence into their practice. On that same date, the subcommittee also heard a presentation from AAA President Bridget McCormack, former Chief Justice of Michigan, about a pilot project in a Pennsylvania court with a high-volume consumer docket, that utilized AI to relieve staff burden and make court operations more efficient. In response to the presentation, the subcommittee spent the first quarter of 2025 exploring a similar pilot in New York. In addition, on January 22, 2025, the subcommittee heard presentations from subcommittee member, Paul, Weiss Partner and former Federal Judge for the Southern District of New York Katherine Forrest and colleagues about ways in which the subcommittee might provide training and access on artificial intelligence to members of the New York City Legal Services Organization community.

On March 11, 2025, the Task Force hosted an in-person all day CLE program called the Crypto Institute. This was the first City Bar Crypto Institute and included a keynote address by Ryan VanGrack, Vice President of Legal and Global Head of Litigation at Coinbase and five panels: (1) Reading the 2025 Tea Leaves from Washington, D.C. (e.g., actions taken by Congress and the Trump Administration during the first quarter 2025), moderated by Jerome Walker and featured Lewis Cohen: Partner at Cahill Gordon and Co-Chair of the Task Force Subcommittee on Web3 and Matthew Solomon: Partner at Cleary Gottlieb; (2) Understanding the Crypto Market (e.g., crypto business models; crypto products and services; and crypto assets), moderated by Beth Haddock: Independent Director to GMO-Z.com and the Stable Standard; Chief Legal Officer at AdvisorEngine and Co-Chair of the Task Force Subcommittee on Web3 and featured Matthew Beville: Partner at WilmerHale; Lewis Cohen; Thomas Cowan: Vice President of Tokenization at Galaxy; and Ronak Daya: Head of Product at Paxos; (3) Understanding the Regulation of Crypto (e.g., federal regulation; state and local regulation; and international regulation) moderated by Jeremy Moorehouse: Chief Legal Officer at Lionsoul Global and featured Christine Parker: Deputy General Counsel at Circle; Anthony Tu-Sekine: Partner at Seward & Kissel LLP; and Yvette Valdez: Partner at Latham & Watkins LLP; (4) Understanding Problems that Might Arise (e.g., adverse claims and insolvency; litigation; and enforcement actions) moderated by Lorraine McGowen; and featured Mark A. Renzi: Managing Director at Berkeley Research Group, LLC; Robert Schwinger: Partner at Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP and Co-Chair of the Task Force Subcommittee on Distributed Ledger Technology and Blockchain; Allyson B. Smith: Partner at Kirkland & Ellis; and Edwin Smith: Massachusetts Uniform Law Commissioner, Partner at Morgan Lewis and Member of the Task Force Subcommittee on Crypto Products and Services; and (5) Understanding Potential Game-Changing Possibilities (e.g., banks actively engaging in crypto activities with support from banking agencies; law enforcement embracing the benefits of crypto; and the crypto industry embracing regulation), moderated by Jerome Walker and featured James Lee: Global Head of Capacity Building at Chainalysis, former Chief at the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division and Member of the Task Force Subcommittee on Artificial Intelligence and National Security; Jonathan Scharf: Deputy Bureau Chief & Cryptocurrency Investigations and Coordinator Major Economic Crimes Queens District Attorney’s Office and Co-Chair of the Task Force Subcommittee on Law Enforcement and Regulatory Agency Digital Technologies Activities; Tara La Morte: Chief Illicit Finance & Money Laundering Unit and Asset Forfeiture Coordinator, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York; and Kristen Spaeth: Global Intelligence Manager at Coinbase and Co-Chair of the Task Force Subcommittee on Law Enforcement and Regulatory Agency Digital Technologies Activities.

Task Force Podcasts

On December 19, 2024, the Task Force released a podcast titled Law & Order & Cryptocurrency Scams. The podcast was moderated by Task Force Subcommittee on Law Enforcement and Regulatory Agency Digital Technologies Activities Member Alona Katz and featured New York Police Department Inspector Osvaldo Nunez; Task Force Subcommittee on Law Enforcement and Regulatory Agency Digital Technologies Activities Co-Chair and Queens Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Scharf; Task Force Subcommittee on Law Enforcement and Regulatory Agency Digital Technologies Activities Member and Founder at Coeus and former UK Police Central e-crime Unit Met Police Adrian Cheek; and Task Force Subcommittee on Law Enforcement and Regulatory Agency Digital Technologies Activities Co-Chair and Coinbase Global Investigations Manager Kristen Spaeth. This podcast focused on investment and relationship fraud scams and how law enforcement, regulatory agencies and the private sector can work together to address these scams.

On January 16, 2025, the Task Force released a podcast titled Should Lawyers and Judges Be Required to Disclose Their Use of AI. The podcast was moderated by Task Force Subcommittee on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Judiciary Co-Chair and Baker McKenzie Partner David Zaslowsky and featured Subcommittee on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Judiciary Members Maura Grossman, Research Professor, School of Computer Science, University of Waterloo and Adjunct Professor at Osgoode Hall Law School and the Honorable Xavier Rodriguez, U.S. District Judge, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. Among other things, David, Professor Grossman, and Judge Rodriguez discussed proposed legislation in New York that would have imposed a certification requirement on lawyers who used generative artificial intelligence in their court submissions.

On February 6, 2025, the Task Force released a podcast titled Liabilities and Remedies for AI: Charting New Territory. The podcast was moderated by Task Force Subcommittee on Liabilities and Remedies Related to the Use of Artificial Intelligence Co-Chair and Davis Polk Partner David Lisson; and featured Task Force Subcommittee on Liabilities and Remedies Related to the Use of Artificial Intelligence Co-Chair and Partner at Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP Clinton Morrison; Task Force Subcommittee on Liabilities and Remedies Related to the Use of Artificial Intelligence Member and Senior Director for Society and Intellectual Property, Society Panel, Special Competitive Studies Project Rama G. Elluru; Task Force Subcommittee on Liabilities and Remedies Related to the Use of Artificial Intelligence Member and Davis Polk Partner Matthew J. Bacal; and Task Force Subcommittee on Liabilities and Remedies Related to the Use of Artificial Intelligence Member and Director & Associate General Counsel and Head of Strategic Transactions, Licensing and Open Source at Meta Shayne O’Reilly. The podcast covers (1) The EU AI Act; (2) New York Senate bill 9640 sponsored by New York State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal; (3) California AI laws, including SB-1047; and (4) Other states (e.g., Colorado) and Federal Non-statutory remedies.

On February 20, 2025, the Task Force released a podcast titled Analyzing President Trump’s Executive Order on Digital Financial Technology. The podcast was moderated by Task Force Co-Chair Jerome Walker and featured Task Force Subcommittee on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Commerce and Finance Co-Chair and Skadden Arps Partner Stuart Levi and Task Force Subcommittee on Crypto Products and Services Co-Chair and WilmerHale Partner Tiffany Smith.

On March 6, 2025, the Task Force released a podcast titled Analyzing President Trump’s Executive Order on Artificial Intelligence. The podcast was moderated by Task Force Co-Chair Jerome Walker and the panelists for the podcast included Task Force Subcommittee on Artificial Intelligence and National Security Member and Deloitte Managing Director, Risk and Financial Advisory Nikhil Aggarwal; Task Force Subcommittee on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Judiciary Co-Chair and Paul, Weiss Associate Harut Minasian; and Task Force Subcommittee on the International Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Co-Chair and BakerHostetler Partner Nichole Sterling.

Task Force Webinars

On March 27, 2025, the Task Force hosted a free webinar on The Role of Regulation in Artificial Intelligence: A Global Perspective. The webinar was moderated by Task Force Subcommittee on Generative Artificial Intelligence and the Law Co-Chair and Harvard Law School and MIT Media Lab Robert Mahari and included Task Force Subcommittee on Artificial Intelligence and National Security Member and Manager, Forensic Technology Forensic Risk Alliance Rim Belaoud; Task Force on Subcommittee on Liabilities and Remedies Related to the Use of Artificial Intelligence Member and Senior Director for Society and Intellectual Property Society Panel Special Competitive Studies Project Rama G. Elluru; Task Force on Subcommittee on Liabilities and Remedies Related to the Use of Artificial Intelligence Co-Chair and Davis Polk Partner David Lisson; Task Force Subcommittee on Generative Artificial Intelligence and the Law Member and Connection Science Fellow MIT Connection Science and former Chief Architect EU AI Act European Commission Gabriele Mazzini; Task Force Subcommittee on Generative Artificial Intelligence and the Law Co-Chair and Senior Counsel, IBM Consulting and Global Generative AI Lead IBM Diana Santos; and Task Force Subcommittee on the International Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Member and Partner at Simmons & Simmons and Global AI Lead Minesh Tanna.