Support imposing civil and criminal liability on AI companies, developers, and deployers when their AI agents cause harm after reckless training or development.

Isn’t this a good place to begin? What we’ve been discussing here, let’s impose both civil and criminal liability, but let’s make sure that we can actually open courthouse doors so people can say, ‘Listen, OpenAI, if your agents hack Hugging Face or crash a hospital system, and we can show that you trained them recklessly or you develop them recklessly, you’re going to be liable?'

Hawley advocated beginning with civil and criminal liability so injured parties can hold AI companies liable when reckless development or training leads AI agents to cause harm.

ICYMI: Hawley Convenes First Senate Hearing on Rogue AI Attacks - Josh Hawley
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“These AI agents are committing cyberattacks. If Big Tech companies are going to design AI agents that wreak havoc, these companies better be on the hook for any damage that is caused,” said Senator Hawley. “That’s why I’m introducing legislation to ensure AI agent operators and developers are held liable for hacking incidents. With this liability regime in place, AI companies will have every incentive to keep their products safe.”

Hawley committed to introducing legislation establishing civil and criminal liability for AI agent operators and developers when their agents cause hacking-related damage or loss.

Senators Hawley, Murphy Announce Bipartisan AI Agent Accountability Act - Josh Hawley
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AI agent operators and developers are held liable for hacking incidents.

Fetched verbatim passage. AI summary (separate from source): Within the lookback window, Hawley announced bipartisan AI-agent liability legislation. This is concrete effort and support, but the source describes a proposal rather than enacted law.

unresolved same_term A for effort

Senators Hawley, Murphy Announce Bipartisan AI Agent Accountability Act - Josh Hawley
primary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 93%

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AI agent developers would be held criminally and civilly liable for failure to implement reasonable safeguards against hacking

Fetched verbatim passage. AI summary (separate from source): Murphy’s matching Senate release confirms the bill’s developer-liability component, including both criminal and civil liability for safeguard failures. It remains proposed legislation, so the underlying policy is not delivered.

unresolved same_term A for effort

[2026-10-01] Murphy, Hawley Announce Breakthrough Bipartisan...
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Rogue AI: Securing the Homeland Against AI Agent Attacks

Fetched verbatim passage. AI summary (separate from source): The official HSGAC page confirms a September 30, 2026 Senate hearing on AI-agent attacks immediately preceding Hawley’s announced bill. This shows oversight effort, not enactment.

unresolved same_term A for effort

Rogue AI: Securing the Homeland Against AI Agent Attacks - Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs
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Mr. Durbin (for himself and Mr. Hawley) introduced the following bill

Fetched verbatim passage. AI summary (separate from source): GovInfo confirms Hawley was a named cosponsor on the earlier AI LEAD Act, a civil AI product-liability bill. This supports a continuing effort pattern but does not prove enactment or criminal liability delivery.

unresolved same_term A for effort

S. 2937 (IS) - Aligning Incentives for Leadership, Excellence, and Advancement in Development Act - BILLS-119s2937is | Related Documents | GovInfo
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 88%