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AIQuiet 6d · day 12

Bessent opposes AI liability exemptions, backs US open-source models

Treasury Secretary tells House committee that holding AI labs legally responsible is the best safety guarantee, rejecting industry requests for protection.

newest coverage 6d agosummary written 11d ago5 pieces NewswiresMastodonGoogle News

What to know

  • Treasury Secretary Bessent testified that AI labs should not receive liability exemptions, positioning legal accountability as the primary safety mechanism.
  • Bessent rejected AI industry requests for protection from harm liability while pursuing slower development—calling it an unacceptable trade-off.
  • Treasury is backing US open-source AI model development to counter China and prevent regulatory capture by large frontier labs.
  • The stance contrasts with some AI companies (including OpenAI) that have previously sought liability protections in legislation.

“And they are saying that 'we would like to all slow down, but please give us a waiver on liability,' which should not be done.”

Scott Bessent, Treasury Secretary · FedScoop ↗ · Sep 14

Scott BessentScott Bessent US Treasury SecretaryDario AmodeiDario Amodei Anthropic CEOSam AltmanSam Altman OpenAI CEOElon MuskElon Musk xAI founderDonald TrumpDonald Trump US President

Bessent opposes AI liability exemptions, backs US open-source models
fedscoop.com

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts

Peak 2 pieces in 3h at Sep 15, 5 PM; 5 pieces over 12 days (3 articles · 2 posts) Sep 15, 5 PM — 2 pieces · 1 article · 1 post — Mastodon 1, Newswires 1Sep 15, 8 PM — quietSep 15, 11 PM — quietSep 16, 2 AM — quietSep 16, 5 AM — quietSep 16, 8 AM — quietSep 16, 11 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Google News 1Sep 16, 2 PM — quietSep 16, 5 PM — quietSep 16, 8 PM — quietSep 16, 11 PM — quietSep 17, 2 AM — quietSep 17, 5 AM — quietSep 17, 8 AM — quietSep 17, 11 AM — quietSep 17, 2 PM — quietSep 17, 5 PM — quietSep 17, 8 PM — quietSep 17, 11 PM — quietSep 18, 2 AM — quietSep 18, 5 AM — quietSep 18, 8 AM — quietSep 18, 11 AM — quietSep 18, 2 PM — quietSep 18, 5 PM — quietSep 18, 8 PM — quietSep 18, 11 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 19, 2 AM — quietSep 19, 5 AM — quietSep 19, 8 AM — quietSep 19, 11 AM — quietSep 19, 2 PM — quietSep 19, 5 PM — quietSep 19, 8 PM — quietSep 19, 11 PM — quietSep 20, 2 AM — quietSep 20, 5 AM — quietSep 20, 8 AM — quietSep 20, 11 AM — quietSep 20, 2 PM — quietSep 20, 5 PM — quietSep 20, 8 PM — quietSep 20, 11 PM — quietSep 21, 2 AM — quietSep 21, 5 AM — quietSep 21, 8 AM — quietSep 21, 11 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 21, 2 PM — quietSep 21, 5 PM — quietSep 21, 8 PM — quietSep 21, 11 PM — quietSep 22, 2 AM — quietSep 22, 5 AM — quietSep 22, 8 AM — quietSep 22, 11 AM — quietSep 22, 2 PM — quietSep 22, 5 PM — quietSep 22, 8 PM — quietSep 22, 11 PM — quietSep 23, 2 AM — quietSep 23, 5 AM — quietSep 23, 8 AM — quietSep 23, 11 AM — quietSep 23, 2 PM — quietSep 23, 5 PM — quietSep 23, 8 PM — quietSep 23, 11 PM — quietSep 24, 2 AM — quietSep 24, 5 AM — quietSep 24, 8 AM — quietSep 24, 11 AM — quietSep 24, 2 PM — quietSep 24, 5 PM — quietSep 24, 8 PM — quietSep 24, 11 PM — quietSep 25, 2 AM — quietSep 25, 5 AM — quietSep 25, 8 AM — quietSep 25, 11 AM — quietSep 25, 2 PM — quietSep 25, 5 PM — quietSep 25, 8 PM — quietSep 25, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quietToday, 2 AM — quietToday, 5 AM — quietToday, 8 AM — quietToday, 11 AM — quietToday, 2 PM — quietToday, 5 PM — quietToday, 8 PM — quiet 1
Sep 16Sep 17Sep 18Sep 19Sep 20Sep 21Sep 22Sep 23Sep 24Sep 25yesterdaynow · 11:07 PM ET
  1. 1

    Bessent updates House on Treasury's AI safety coordination with financial sector

    Bessent disclosed that Treasury has been working on AI safety since the April release of Anthropic's Mythos model, coordinating with AI labs and financial institutions. He noted the launch of Gold Eagle, a clearinghouse with CISA that coordinates vulnerability scanning and patch distribution across sectors.

    “The best way to guarantee safety is that the creators are liable for what they build and generate.”
    — Scott Bessent, Treasury Secretary · source
    1. 1 outlet At a US House hearing, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said AI labs should get no liability exemptions and called for more open-source models built in the US

      first by FedScoop, 12d ago

      1 more headline
  2. background

    Bessent calls for US open-source AI models to counter China — Bessent told the committee that the administration should support development of more open-source AI models built in the United States as a counterweight to China, while warning against allowing large labs to achieve regulatory capture that would stifle innovation.

  3. background

    Bessent doubles down against blank-check liability waivers for AI labs — When pressed by Rep. Vargas on liability exemptions, Bessent reiterated his opposition, stating that AI labs are trying to slow down while seeking protection from legal responsibility—a position he said should not be granted.

  4. background

    Bessent tells House committee AI labs must remain liable for harms — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared before the House Financial Services Committee and stated that AI labs should not receive liability exemptions, which he said are being requested by frontier labs. He argued that legal accountability for creators is the best way to guarantee AI safety.