Happy Tuesday in a brave new world, where all over the place disruptive technologies are blasting through the status quo — replacing industries, ousting workers and blurring the line between real and fake. Here in New York, Governor Hochul is trying to stem the tide.
Last week, Hochul announced efforts to block two of the most transformative emerging technologies: autonomous vehicles (AVs) and AI-generated images.
After previously approving plans to allow AV taxi companies like Waymo to deploy limited service to customers outside of New York City, Hochul abruptly reversed course on Thursday, pulling the plan after opposition from lawmakers and driver advocacy groups.
The governor’s decision is in line with recent polls from Siena University that found widespread opposition to autonomous taxis across New York. However, it does not apply within the five boroughs, where Waymo will continue its pilot program approved in August, in which eight AVs will be allowed to operate in Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn with a human behind the wheel.
As for artificial intelligence, Hochul is pushing to ban the use of AI-generated images in political campaign ads. “People deserve to trust what they see and hear during election season,” Hochul said in her January State of the State address. Hochul herself has taken to using AI-generated images in her social media posts and public presentations. Earlier this month, Hochul posted an AI image of herself to promote her “Wrath of Kath” political tour. A spokesperson clarified that these kinds of images, which don’t attack a political rival, would not be blocked under the Governor’s proposal.
In other words, don’t expect the AI slop on your social media feeds to go anywhere anytime soon.
Roughly 2,000 New York City residents had lost electrical power by midday Monday, as Con Edison crews worked through the blizzard to restore service.
Winter Storm Hernando news:
Some NYC public school students had a dodgy journey back to school today, navigating snowpiles and unshoveled walkways.
Attorney General Letitia James reminds tenants that landlords must provide heat, hot water and safe building access, which includes clearing snow and ice from sidewalks, steps and entrances.
A snow-laden tree branch crashed onto parked cars in Carroll Gardens.
An off-duty NYPD officer was shoved to the ground and pepper-sprayed during an argument over snow shoveling in Brownsville on Monday afternoon.
Skiing the Brooklyn streets became a temporary winter sport Feb. 22 as a driver pulled a skier down a snow-covered roadway.
Councilmember Lincoln Restler pushed the MTA to hold the building owner above the Clark Street station entrance accountable for “unsafe and unsanitary” conditions.
New York regulators proposed sweeping consumer protections for Buy Now, Pay Later lenders, suggesting a licensing and supervision framework and limits on fees, disclosures and data use.
Councilmember Shahana Hanif will convene a joint oversight hearing on Friday with the Council’s Sanitation and Transportation committees to examine the city’s response to snowstorms, particularly snow removal and its impact on street accessibility.
House Democratic Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries invited Canarsie resident Vonetta Rougier, a bus operator and caregiver, to attend tonight’s 2026 State of the Union address.
The former Rite Aid at 6411 Fort Hamilton Parkway in Dyker Heights sold for $10 million.
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Our World In Photos
Photo: K.M. Chaudary/AP
LAHORE — Bound to be consumed faster than they’re made: A vendor arranges traditional vermicelli noodles, a favorite during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, at a factory in Lahore, Pakistan, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026.
For more pictures like this, see Our World in Photos.
Brooklyn Public Library and National Grid award top honors in ‘Energy in Engineering’ design competition
National Grid and Brooklyn Public Library hosted the Energy in Engineering design competition. Photo: Brooklyn Public Library
Teens from around the borough spent their mid-winter break learning about energy use and conservation, including energy challenges facing low-income communities.
On Friday, the teens presented their final projects, which included games, animations and social media campaigns, to a panel of judges composed of engineers from National Grid.
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For the Road
Lunar New Year in Bensonhurst: Just before a powerful blizzard slammed Brooklyn, Bensonhurst held its annual Lunar New Year celebration on Sunday. See photos from the event here.
Happy Birthday to Oscar-winning actor Daniel Kaluuya!
On This Day in 1934, the Eagle reported: “Victims of the great blizzard of ’34 had one advantage over the survivors of the blizzard of ’88 — they could call each other up on the phone and talk about the weather.”
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