Artificial Intelligence - Causing Injury or Death - Civil and Criminal Liability

HB 589 establishes legal liability for individuals or entities that design or create artificial intelligence software capable of causing physical injury or death. It makes such creators strictly liable for civil damages if their AI causes harm, and imposes criminal penalties based on intent: intentional design is a felony (up to 20 years or $100,000), while knowing or negligent design is a misdemeanor (up to 10 or 5 years and $50,000 or $25,000 fines). The bill directly affects AI developers and creators by requiring them to ensure their software does not pose such risks. It takes effect October 1, 2025, and amends Maryland’s Civil and Criminal Law codes to address AI-related harm.