A pair of senators from different parties is at odds with President Donald Trump’s approach to managing artificial intelligence. Republican Sen. Josh Hawley from Missouri and Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy from Connecticut have introduced legislation that would hold AI operators and developers legally responsible if their systems engage in hacking. According to the senators’ announcement, the proposed bill would apply the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) to damage caused by AI agents, directly conflicting with the president’s initiative for tech companies to voluntarily ensure safety.
“These AI agents are carrying out cyberattacks. If Big Tech is going to create AI agents that cause chaos, then those companies should be liable for the harm they inflict,” Hawley stated in a recent press release. He emphasized that establishing such liability would motivate AI companies to prioritize the safety of their products.
In addition to private liability, the legislation would allow both the U.S. attorney general and state attorneys general to take action against any companies that conduct or attempt to carry out hacking through AI agents.
“Hacking is illegal, and when AI agents orchestrate perilous cyberattacks, those accountable need to be held responsible,” Murphy asserted in the press release.
Recently, the president mentioned a commitment he made with AI leaders to self-regulate the technology’s development, as reported by the Associated Press. Trump expressed confidence in this self-policing, suggesting that companies recognize the need to oversee their operations.
Neither the White House nor the offices of Senators Hawley and Murphy responded promptly to requests for comments.
Hawley made similar points during a Senate Homeland Security subcommittee hearing dedicated to rogue AI agents. He remarked that AI, in the end, is just a product. He noted that if an AI system, lacking proper safety measures, disrupts a hospital’s emergency room or denies users access to their bank accounts, then the creators should be held accountable.
Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, also from Connecticut, criticized Trump’s AI initiative during the hearing, calling it “worse than ineffective.” Meanwhile, officials from the Trump administration argue that existing laws are sufficient to address issues related to AI.
In a discussion on CNBC, Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton mentioned that the president’s commentary reflected the current legal framework for handling developments and emergencies across various sectors, including consumer protection and product liability.
