Hawley and Murphy Launch Bill to Hold AI Firms Liable for Hacks

The proposed AI Agent Accountability Act would allow the criminal prosecution of technology companies and civil lawsuits if their autonomous agents compromise computer systems. The bipartisan legislation targets firms that recklessly design agents or fail to build reasonable safeguards, while also extending criminal liability to users who knowingly deploy autonomous tools to steal data or crash systems.

The bill challenges the Trump administration's push for voluntary industry self-regulation and its claim that existing consumer protection laws are sufficient. While Congress is weighing other bipartisan measures for AI transparency, testing, and a possible "kill switch," broader regulation remains stalled as lawmakers disagree on the pace of technological evolution.