Fact Check: Senator Cynthia Lummis introduced the Responsible Innovation and Safe Expertise Act on Thursday, which would protect AI developers from civil liability lawsuits if they meet certain disclosure requirements.

Fact Check: Senator Cynthia Lummis Introduced the Responsible Innovation and Safe Expertise Act

What We Know

On June 12, 2025, Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) introduced the Responsible Innovation and Safe Expertise (RISE) Act, which aims to provide legal protections for artificial intelligence (AI) developers under specific conditions. The legislation stipulates that AI developers can be shielded from civil liability lawsuits if they meet certain disclosure requirements regarding their AI systems. This includes the necessity to publicly release model specifications, which detail the AI's capabilities and limitations, allowing professionals to make informed decisions when using these tools in their practices (Lummis Introduces AI Legislation, GOP bill would shield AI companies from lawsuits).

The RISE Act emphasizes that while AI developers may gain some liability protections, licensed professionals—such as doctors, lawyers, and engineers—retain their legal responsibilities for the advice and decisions they provide based on AI outputs. The bill does not grant blanket immunity to AI developers, particularly in cases of recklessness or misconduct (CoinDesk, Senate Bill Would Shield AI Developers From Civil Liability).

Analysis

The claim that Senator Lummis introduced the RISE Act to protect AI developers from civil liability lawsuits, contingent upon certain disclosure requirements, is substantiated by multiple credible sources. The primary source, a press release from Lummis's office, explicitly outlines the key provisions of the bill, including the requirement for AI developers to disclose model specifications to mitigate legal risks while ensuring that professionals remain accountable for their decisions (Lummis Introduces AI Legislation).

NBC News corroborates this information, detailing that the bill aims to clarify the legal landscape for AI usage in professional settings and emphasizes the importance of transparency from developers (GOP bill would shield AI companies from lawsuits). Furthermore, CoinDesk provides additional context by explaining the technical requirements that AI developers must meet to qualify for liability protection, such as releasing model cards that describe the AI's training data and performance metrics (CoinDesk).

The reliability of these sources is high, as they originate from established news outlets and official statements from Senator Lummis's office. However, it is important to note that while the bill aims to foster innovation, it has faced criticism regarding the potential implications for accountability in AI usage, particularly in sensitive fields like healthcare and law (GOP bill would shield AI companies from lawsuits, Cynthia Lummis Proposes RISE Act).

Conclusion

The claim that Senator Cynthia Lummis introduced the Responsible Innovation and Safe Expertise Act, which would protect AI developers from civil liability lawsuits if they meet certain disclosure requirements, is True. The evidence from multiple credible sources confirms that the RISE Act is designed to create a legal framework that encourages innovation in AI while maintaining accountability for professionals who utilize these technologies.

Fact Check: Senator Cynthia Lummis introduced the Responsible Innovation and Safe Expertise Act on Thursday, which would protect AI developers from civil liability lawsuits if they meet certain disclosure requirements.