Hawley, Durbin Introduce Legislation Empowering Americans to Bring Liability Claims Against AI Companies

For information about Senator Hawley’s new RECA law to compensate Missourians,click here.
Tuesday, September 30, 2025
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) joined Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) inintroducingtheAligning Incentives for Leadership, Excellence, and Advancement in Development (AI LEAD) Act.This legislation would classify AI systems as products, allowing for liability claims when an AI system causes harm.
“When a defective toy car breaks and injures a child, parents can sue the maker. Why should AI be treated any differently? This bipartisan legislation would apply products liability law to Big Tech’s AI, so parents—and any consumer—can sue when AI products harm them or their children,”Senator Hawley said.
“Democrats and Republicans don’t agree on much these days, but we’ve struck a remarkable bipartisan note in protecting children online. Big Tech’s time to police itself is over. Kids and adults across the country are turning to AI chatbots for advice and information, but greedy tech companies have designed these products to protect their own bottom line—not users’ safety,”said Senator Durbin.“By opening the courtroom and allowing victims to sue, our bill will force AI companies to develop their products with safety in mind. Our message to AI companies is clear: keep innovating, but do it responsibly. I thank Senator Hawley for joining me in introducing this bipartisan bill, and I look forward to passing it into law.”
TheAI Lead Actwould:
Senators Hawley and Durbin continue to work to hold Big Tech accountable. In June, they advanced theirSTOP CSAM Actunanimously through a Senate Judiciary Committee markup. TheSTOP CSAM Actwould crack down on the proliferation of online child sexual abuse material (CSAM) by allowing victims to sue companies that host it.
Read theAI LEAD Acthere.

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