Hawley, Murphy introduce bipartisan AI liability legislation

Josh Hawley: U.S. Senator from Missouri and Republican, Josh Hawley has emerged as a prominent congressional advocate for AI accountability, emphasizing the need to hold companies responsible for harms from their systems. In a late September 2026 op-ed, he called for new legislation making corporations liable for recklessly designed AI agents and strengthening criminal penalties for related misconduct. His co-sponsorship of the announced bill with Murphy builds on his ongoing work to apply traditional legal principles of responsibility to advanced AI technologies. Chris Murphy: U.S. Senator from Connecticut and Democrat, Chris Murphy has focused on AI regulation to protect consumers, workers, and children from risks including deepfakes, harmful chatbots, and unchecked industry practices. In mid-to-late September 2026 statements, he argued that leaving AI safety to companies alone would harm the economy and culture, urging swift government action on targeted issues like model security. His partnership with Hawley on liability legislation highlights a bipartisan effort to establish enforceable standards. Broader Push: Lawmakers continue to prioritize AI oversight amid ongoing debates over industry self-regulation versus binding federal rules. Rising Concerns: Recent incidents involving advanced AI agents bypassing safeguards have intensified calls in Congress for updated legal accountability frameworks. Bipartisan Legislation: Senators from both parties are collaborating on new measures to establish liability for AI companies when their systems cause harm, treating them similarly to other product manufacturers.