An article summarized by Axios:

Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) are preparing bipartisan legislation called the AI Agent Accountability Act that would make AI companies potentially criminally and civilly liable when their AI agents cause hacking incidents. The lawmakers argue current laws are unclear about who is responsible when an AI system independently carries out harmful actions.

The proposal contrasts with the Trump administration’s preference for industry self-regulation. Administration officials argue existing consumer-protection, product-liability and criminal laws are already capable of addressing AI-related harms. Meanwhile, lawmakers from both parties continue introducing legislation covering AI testing, cybersecurity, transparency, risk management and emergency “kill switches” for dangerous systems.

The broader debate is happening as Congress struggles to keep up with rapidly advancing AI technology. Senate negotiations on broader AI legislation have stalled, while House Speaker Mike Johnson has questioned whether bipartisan proposals can keep pace with technological change. Hawley’s approach is to focus on liability for actual harm, rather than attempting to create a large regulatory framework that could quickly become outdated.

For the article: https://www.axios.com/2026/10/01/hawley-murphy-ai-liability-trump