OpenAI backs bill to exempt AI firms from harm lawsuits

5 hours ago

OpenAI supports an Illinois bill (SB 3444) that would shield AI labs from liability for 'critical harms' caused by their frontier models, if the labs did not act intentionally or recklessly and have published safety reports.
The bill defines frontier models as those trained with over $100 million in computational costs, potentially covering major AI labs like OpenAI, Google, and Meta, and covers harms like mass casualties (100+ deaths) or $1+ billion in property damage.
OpenAI argues the bill reduces risks from advanced AI while avoiding a state-by-state regulatory patchwork, aligning with its push for consistent national standards and US innovation leadership, as stated by spokespersons Jamie Radice and Caitlin Niedermeyer.
Critics, including Scott Wisor of the Secure AI project, oppose the bill, noting 90% of Illinois residents polled reject liability exemptions for AI companies, and highlight Illinois' history of tech regulation, such as laws on AI in mental health and biometric data.
Beyond mass harms, AI labs face lawsuits over individual-level damages, like cases involving children's suicides linked to ChatGPT, while federal AI legislation remains stalled, leading states like California and New York to pass their own safety reporting laws.

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