Who Is Letitia James? New York Attorney General Profile

Letitia James serves as the New York Attorney General, leading the New York Office of the Attorney General, according to the Office of the Attorney General.

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James assumed the post of New York State Attorney General in 2019 and enforces New York statutory requirements on artificial intelligence platforms while conducting major antitrust and legal actions, as reported by the Times Union.

Where Letitia James Is Now

Letitia James serves as the New York Attorney General, having assumed the office in 2019, and acts as the state's chief legal officer, as noted by the Office of the Attorney General.

• Current role: New York Attorney General and appointed independent special prosecutor
• Organization: New York Office of the Attorney General
• Known for: Enforcing New York law requiring AI companion companies to detect suicidal thoughts or self-harm, filing a 2022 civil fraud lawsuit against Donald Trump and the Trump Organization, and litigating antitrust cases
• Recent news: Warning that Character.AI should not be sold without strong protections for private conversations, joined by a bipartisan coalition of 39 other attorneys general

AI Companion Oversight

Letitia James's office enforces a New York law requiring AI companion companies to detect and respond to suicidal thoughts or self-harm and provide regular reminders to users, as detailed by the Office of the Attorney General.

Additionally, James and a bipartisan coalition of 39 other attorneys general warned that Character.AI should not be sold without strong protections for the millions of people whose private conversations it holds.

Antitrust and Corporate Litigation

James assumed the post of New York State Attorney General in 2019, according to the Times Union. In 2022, she filed a civil fraud lawsuit against Donald Trump and the Trump Organization. Her office also participated in a winning multistate antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation and filed a lawsuit against prediction market Kalshi, asserting it operated an illegal, unlicensed gambling and sports-wagering business.

In Western New York, James and Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday continued an antitrust investigation into the merger of Colas Inc. and Suit-Kote Corporation after the DOJ terminated its review, as documented by the Office of the Attorney General. Under a settlement reached with James and Sunday, Colas must sell three former Suit-Kote facilities in New York and one in Pennsylvania to preserve road repair competition.

Prosecutorial Appointments and Public Safety

Governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order appointing James as independent special prosecutor in the case of a Cornell University student alleging gang rape, as reported by Fox News. Following her appointment, James announced an active criminal investigation into the alleged 2024 incident, pledging that her office would review facts, gather evidence, interview witnesses, and pursue prosecutions if warranted. During a debate, James stated that her prior remarks regarding the Cornell accuser were made to demonstrate empathy, as reported by the Daily Mail.

Under James, the New York Office of the Attorney General has hosted more than 50 community gun buyback events, removing 10,534 firearms, which James stated gives New Yorkers a safe method to remove deadly weapons from homes and keep communities safe, according to the Office of the Attorney General.

Priorities and Public Engagements

James stated that taking on the federal government is a key part of her job as New York's chief legal officer, and stated that if reelected, her priorities would include protecting abortion rights and defending mobile home residents, according to the Times Union.

James also publicly stated that protecting competition in the asphalt industry protects New Yorkers' tax dollars and ensures quality road services, as reported by the Office of the Attorney General. On June 1, 2026, James spoke at the swearing-in ceremony of Taa Grays as the New York State Bar Association President, as reported by Law.com.

Sources

• ag.ny.gov
• ag.ny.gov
• ag.ny.gov
• dailymail.com
• foxnews.com
• law.com
• timesunion.com

More people pushing back on AI are mapped in our guide to who is fighting AI, and the unions, companies and governments drawing the line are tracked on Fighting Back.