Haywood plans Pennsylvania AI safety legislation

What Haywood is proposing

State Sen. Art Haywood, who represents parts of Philadelphia and Montgomery counties, announced plans on Sept. 15, 2026, to develop Pennsylvania legislation addressing safety and transparency at artificial intelligence companies operating in the state.

The possible requirements would make companies explain how they identify, oversee and reduce substantial risks connected to their AI systems. Other provisions could require regular public reports about safety practices and significant incidents, along with reports when an AI system causes serious harm or presents a major risk to the public.

Haywood said he is reviewing AI regulations used internationally and working with experts across Pennsylvania. His stated goals include corporate accountability, public transparency and critical-incident reporting.

Where the proposal stands

Haywood has not introduced legislative language or announced when he plans to do so. He is inviting Pennsylvania residents, technology experts, researchers, advocates and policymakers to contact his office with ideas while the proposal is being developed.

The announcement followed public warnings from artificial intelligence industry figures. Researchers at Anthropic have warned that advanced AI could pose an existential threat to humanity, while Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has called for slowing development so safety measures can catch up. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and other technology leaders have also raised concerns about the pace of development.

Any proposal would need to be formally introduced before lawmakers could consider its specific requirements. Its scope, enforcement system and definitions of substantial risk, serious harm and critical incidents have not yet been set out in bill text.