Hawley and Murphy to Introduce Bipartisan AI Liability Legislation

Hawley and Murphy to Introduce Bipartisan AI Liability Legislation

U.S. Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) plan to jointly introduce a bipartisan bill aimed at holding AI companies legally liable for harms caused by their products. According to an October 1, 2026 report by Crypto Briefing, the core question the bill addresses is: who should pay when AI systems harm individuals?

The legislative move builds on several AI accountability proposals Hawley has previously helped advance. Among them, the AI LEAD Act (S. 2937), introduced on September 29, 2025 by Hawley and Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), seeks to classify AI systems as "products" under federal law, allowing victims to bring product liability lawsuits against AI companies that cause harm. The bill has been endorsed by the American Association for Justice and the National Center on Sexual Exploitation.

Another related proposal, the GUARD Act, introduced on October 28, 2025, would broadly ban AI companions for minors, require chatbots to disclose their non-human identity, and include criminal penalties for companies that generate harmful content for children. The anti-sexual violence organization RAINN and some affected families have expressed support for the bill.

Congress has previously held hearings to hear testimony from affected individuals about harms caused by AI systems, and those accounts have helped drive the legislative effort. At present, specific provisions of the new Hawley-Murphy bill have not yet been released.

Source: https://cryptobriefing.com/hawley-murphy-bipartisan-ai-liability-bill/