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US Senators Weigh New Safety Obligations for Powerful AI Developers

By  |  September 14, 2026
AI startups, investments

U.S. senators are considering legislation that would require developers of the most advanced artificial-intelligence systems to show they have taken reasonable measures to prevent their technology from causing serious harm, as concern over the risks of increasingly capable AI intensifies.

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    The proposal under discussion would allow the U.S. commerce secretary to demand evidence that AI companies are meeting a legally defined duty of care and could permit government auditors to independently test their systems, according to Reuters, citing a Senate aide and a lobbyist familiar with the negotiations. What would constitute “reasonable” precautions has yet to be determined, Reuters reported.

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    The talks could mark a significant shift in Washington’s approach to AI oversight by placing more responsibility directly on companies developing cutting-edge models. The discussions involve Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz and Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar, according to Reuters.

    Klobuchar said she is seeking a bipartisan agreement focused on government oversight of the most consequential risks associated with AI. She said developers should work with government specialists to verify and test advanced models for safety, according to the Reuters report.

    Read more: Obama Calls on Democrats to Confront Risks From Rapid AI Growth

    The negotiations are unfolding amid heightened warnings from inside the AI industry. Reuters reported that concerns escalated after Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon resigned and warned that some people working on advanced AI believe the technology could pose an existential threat before the end of the decade. Shares of companies tied to the AI boom fell globally Monday after executives at major AI developers called for slowing the pace of technological advances.

    The potential legislation builds on Senate discussions reported by Reuters last week. Negotiators have examined rules that would require developers to design systems with catastrophic risks in mind, including the possibility that advanced models could assist sophisticated cyberattacks or the development of biological or nuclear weapons. Lawmakers have also discussed government authority to prevent the release of models considered unsafe, with companies potentially able to challenge such decisions in federal court.

    Source: Reuters