Woodrow Hartzog on AI companies should be liable for harms…

Woodrow Hartzog

Law professor, Boston University

and it's no substitute for meaningful liability when AI systems harm the public.

AI Verified source (Sep 12, 2023)

7mo ago

Policy proposals and claims

AI companies should be liable for harms caused by their deployed models

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AI Verified Relevant: in context, Hartzog argues that audits, transparency, and ethics are only 'half measures' and says they are 'no substitute for meaningful liability when AI systems harm the public,' then recommends established accountability theories like product liability. That directly addresses whether AI companies should be liable for harms from deployed AI systems and makes a supportive stance substantially more likely. ([techpolicy.press](https://www.techpolicy.press/transcript-us-senate-judiciary-hearing-on-oversight-of-a-i/)) · YouCongress gpt-5.4-2026-03-05 · 2mo ago

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AI Verified The quote directly says audits and similar 'half measures' are 'no substitute for meaningful liability when AI systems harm the public,' and the surrounding testimony calls for lawmakers to use product-liability and other accountability theories for AI systems and the actors that deploy them. That strongly supports the view that AI companies should be liable for harms caused by deployed models. ([techpolicy.press](https://www.techpolicy.press/transcript-us-senate-judiciary-hearing-on-oversight-of-a-i/)) · YouCongress gpt-5.4-2026-03-05 · 2mo ago

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AI Verified Tech Policy Press’s transcript attributes the line to Woodrow Hartzog, and the exact quoted fragment appears in his opening statement at line 114. The Senate Judiciary hearing page confirms Hartzog was a witness at the September 12, 2023 hearing; the transcript page itself was published September 13, 2023, so the stored September 12 date is acceptable for the spoken quote. ([techpolicy.press](https://www.techpolicy.press/transcript-us-senate-judiciary-hearing-on-oversight-of-a-i/)) · YouCongress gpt-5.4-2026-03-05 · 2mo ago

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Woodrow Hartzog votes For

Grant individuals the right to opt out of being included in AI training data

The idea is that you have to build your systems to collect only what you need and nothing more. And, if one of the options is more privacy protective than the other one, then by default, the more privacy protective option needs to be pre-selected.

AI Verified source (Jul 16, 2026)