Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Aug 04, 2025

Robo-cop: EU wants firms to be held liable for harm done by AI

Robo-cop: EU wants firms to be held liable for harm done by AI

New liability regime would give victims of AI systems their day in court.
The European Commission on Wednesday proposed new rules that would see makers of artificial intelligence-powered software and products forced to compensate people harmed by their creations.

A new AI Liability Directive would make it easier to sue for compensation when a person or organization gets hurt or suffers damages through artificial intelligence-powered drones and robots or because of software such as automated hiring algorithms.

“The new rules will give victims of damage caused by AI systems an equal chance and access to a fair trial and redress,” Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders told reporters ahead of the presentation of the proposals.

The draft law is the latest attempt by European officials to regulate AI and set a global standard to control the flourishing technology. It comes as the EU is in the throes of negotiating the AI Act, the world’s first bill to rein in high-risk uses of AI, including facial recognition, "social scoring" systems and AI-boosted software for immigration and social benefits.

“If we want to have real trust of consumers and users in the AI application, we need to be sure that it's possible to have such an access to compensation and to have access to real decision in justice if it's needed, without too many obstacles, like the opacity of the systems,” said Reynders.

Under the new law, victims would be able to challenge a provider, developer or user of AI technology if they suffer damage to their health or property, or suffer discrimination based on fundamental rights such as privacy. Until now, it has been hard and extremely expensive for victims to build cases when they think they have been harmed by an AI because the technology is complex and opaque.

Courts would get more power to pry open the black boxes of AI companies and ask for detailed information about the data used for the algorithms, the technical specifications and risk-control mechanisms.

With this new access to information, victims could prove that damage came from a tech company that sold an AI system or that the user of the AI — for instance, a university, workplace or government agency — failed to comply with obligations in other European laws like the AI Act or a directive to protect platform workers. Victims would also have to prove the damage is linked to the specific AI applications.

The European Commission also presented a revamped Product Liability Directive. The 1985 law is not adapted for new product categories like connected devices, and revised rules aim to enable customers to claim compensation when they experience harm from a defective software update, upgrade or service. The proposed product liability rules also bring online marketplaces into the crosshairs, which, according to the rules, can be held liable if they don't disclose the name of a trader to a person that experienced harm upon request.

The Commission's proposal will still need approval from national governments in the EU Council and from the European Parliament.

Parliament in particular could object to the European Commission's choice to propose a weaker liability regime than it itself suggested earlier.

The chamber in 2020 called on the Commission to adopt rules to ensure victims of harmful AI can obtain compensation, asking specifically that developers, providers and users of high-risk autonomous AI could be held legally responsible even for unintentional harm. But the EU executive decided to go with a “pragmatic” approach that is weaker than this strict liability regime, saying the evidence was “not sufficient to justify” such a regime.

“We chose the lowest level of intervention,” said Reynders. “We need to see whether new developments [will] justify stronger rules for the future.”

The Commission will review whether a stricter regime is needed, five years after it comes into force, it said.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
×