Florida Proposes Corporate Liability for AI's Role in Crimes
New legislation proposed in Florida would hold companies that own, control, or distribute an AI chatbot strictly liable if the system is involved in a crime.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has proposed legislation that would establish corporate liability when an AI chatbot is involved in criminal activity. The bill would apply to any business that owns, controls, distributes, or profits from an AI system, including any entity with practical control over its design, training, development, or safety settings, if the system is available to users in Florida. Potential penalties include fines, restitution to victims, and a court-appointed monitor.
The proposal marks a significant new front in AI regulation, moving beyond user responsibility to corporate culpability for the misuse of AI tools. If enacted, the law would create a substantial new risk for technology companies and could serve as a model for other states, potentially leading to a complex patchwork of state-level liability standards. The move follows a civil lawsuit and criminal investigations by Florida authorities into OpenAI concerning the alleged use of ChatGPT in connection with violent crimes. Counsel should monitor the progress of this bill as it is introduced and debated in the state legislature.