OpenAI Backs Illinois Bill That Would Shield AI Companies From Mass Casualty Liability

OpenAI is backing an Illinois bill that would protect AI companies from liability for mass casualty events caused by their models, drawing fierce backlash from policy experts and 90% of Illinois residents who oppose such exemptions.

• OpenAI is backing Illinois Senate Bill 3444, which would shield frontier AI developers from liability in cases where their models cause mass casualties, serious injuries to 100 or more people, or at least $1 billion in property damage, as long as the harm was not intentional and the company has published safety reports.
• The bill marks a shift in OpenAI's legislative strategy from playing defense against liability bills to actively supporting measures that limit its exposure, with OpenAI testifying that the approach helps avoid a fragmented patchwork of state regulations while pushing toward a unified federal standard.
• Policy experts and public opinion are pushing back hard against the bill, with polling showing 90 percent of Illinois residents opposing AI liability exemptions, and analysts giving the measure slim chances of passing in a state known for aggressively regulating technology.