For almost a decade, I led a company whose products people swallowed. If our hair growth supplements caused harm, I was responsible. Not just morally – legally. It kept me awake at night. And that was a good thing. Personal legal responsibility is a powerful tool. It prompts corporate leaders to take the safety of their products seriously, giving consumers confidence in those products. It’s not currently something causing AI leaders to lose sleep. It should be.
Some might think introducing another layer of accountability would stifle innovation. My own experience building what became a multi-billion-dollar company says otherwise. In my industry, the law has long held that the people in charge are personally responsible for the safety of what their companies sell. That accountability was essential to building the consumer trust I needed to make my business a success. It could do the same for AI leaders.
