--- title: "Anthropic Proposes U.S. Bill: Only Federal Judges May Block Advanced AI Models" description: "" date: 2026-10-17T09:54:23.733Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/anthropic-advanced-ai-regulation-bill tags: [anthropic, ai-regulation, artificial-intelligence, usa, legislation] author: "Alexander Buran" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Anthropic Proposes U.S. Bill: Only Federal Judges May Block Advanced AI Models ![Stylized graphic illustration of a building with columns over a glowing star background.](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/17/anthropic-zakonoproekt-regulirovaniya-peredovogo-ii/anthropic-zakonoproekt-regulirovaniya-peredovogo-ii-1.webp) ## Key Points - Anthropic has submitted a draft bill to U.S. lawmakers to regulate advanced AI risks. - Blocking an AI model is reserved for a federal judge of the D.C. District Court, contingent on $1B+ damages or death/injury to 50+ people. - The bill introduces independent audits under the U.S. Department of Commerce, with a 72-hour reporting requirement for major risks. - The proposal builds on California's AI regulation experience and aims to influence upcoming Congressional debate. Anthropic, the developer of the Claude chatbot, has sent a draft bill to U.S. lawmakers aimed at regulating AI safety risks. This was reported by Politico and cited by Russian media. According to the startup's representatives, the document is based on the framework for creating advanced AI that the company has been promoting at the federal and regional levels in the U.S. since June 2026 through members of the U.S. Parliament. Anthropic believes that rules sensitive to both the industry and society should be considered by the U.S. Congress in the near future. ### Context: Relationships with Authorities and Lobbying Anthropic's relationship with U.S. authorities, according to reports, is complex: since March 2026, the company has reportedly been classified as a provider posing a national security threat. Nevertheless, the startup strives for a constructive dialogue with government representatives. Previously, Anthropic had not publicly lobbied for federal AI laws, limiting its work to the state of California, where it had already engaged in lobbying activities. ### Key Conditions: Judge, Damage Threshold, and Risk Types The central provision of the bill is to grant the government the power to block the release of an AI model only if the assumed and unavoidable damage from its release could total at least $1 billion, or lead to the death or serious injury of at least 50 people. Furthermore, only a federal judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in Washington may impose a ban on the development and release of a model, with the decision based on independent audit results. Anthropic insists that no other U.S. agency or official should interfere in this process. The list of risks considered in the document includes the potential for creating biological weapons, loss of control over the model's distribution, and its use for cyberattacks. Such rhetoric, according to sources, is already present in the California AI regulation legislation passed last year. ### Independent Audit and a 72-Hour Reporting Rule A large portion of the document is dedicated to the mechanism of independent technological auditing. It proposes empowering independent inspectors registered with the U.S. Department of Commerce to conduct periodic audits of the startup and the models it develops. Anthropic is willing to pay for the auditors' work, while asserting that this will not affect the verification results, and expert fees should not depend on the outcome. Auditors are required to report to the Department of Commerce regarding the discovery of imminent major risks within 72 hours of the audit's completion. The agency then gains the right to seek a court injunction against further development of the dangerous model. ### Legislative Context and Timelines According to experts, Anthropic's initiative may preempt other legislative proposals currently promoted in the U.S. Parliament—specifically, rules for disclosing information about advanced AI risks, audit procedures, and publishing reports on critical incidents. A bill formed from fragmented state initiatives, as noted, is harder to approve than uniform federal rules. In addition to regular audit requirements, the authors believe that bills should provide whistleblower protections for those ready to report on unreliable developers, as well as procedures for publishing incident reports. That said, no recorded AI incident to date has resulted in damages exceeding $1 billion or mass casualties, making the proposed thresholds effectively preemptive. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Anthropic предложила американским законодателям собственный законопроект о регулировании отрасли ИИ window-new](https://3dnews.ru/1150074/anthropic-predlogila-amerikanskim-zakonodatelyam-sobstvenniy-zakonoproekt-o-regulirovanii-otrasli-ii) - Primary source: bill conditions, $1B/50-person threshold, federal judge role, Dept. of Commerce audit, 72-hour rule, post-March 2026 context. - [В США планируют ужесточить контроль над опасным ИИ по предложению Anthropic](https://glob-news.com/v-ssha-planiryut-yjestochit-kontrol-nad-opasnym-ii-po-predlojeniu-anthropic.html) - Matches key parameters: blocking for real danger, $1B threshold, risk types, independent audit, 72 hours. - [Anthropic предложила замедлить развитие мощных ИИ-моделей](https://www.ridus.ru/anthropic-predlozhila-zamedlit-razvitie-moshnyh-ii-modelej-941480.html) - Adjacent context: Dario Amodei's initiative on slowing AI development; aligns with the document's general goal. ## FAQ ### Who, according to Anthropic's bill, has the authority to block an AI model? Only a federal judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, based on independent audit results. No other agency or official may interfere. ### What is the damage threshold for blocking a model? Assumed and unavoidable damage of at least $1 billion or the death/serious injury of at least 50 people, including risks like bioweapons or cyberattacks. ### How is the audit mechanism structured? Independent inspectors registered with the Department of Commerce conduct audits; Anthropic covers the costs but does not influence outcomes. Major risks must be reported within 72 hours.