The DOJ Cracks Down on AI-Powered Crimes

In recent public comments, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco has highlighted AI's emerging threat and declared it a top enforcement priority. The DOJ plans to target crimes “made significantly more dangerous” by AI misuse, with Monaco stating that federal prosecutors will pursue harsher sentences for defendants in such cases, akin to those seen in firearms-related offenses. As Christian Everdell and Marvin Lowenthal write in an article published in the New York Law Journal, this shift is expected to lead to a wave of indictments for AI-powered crimes, with prosecutors aiming for stringent penalties. However, uncertainties remain regarding the adequacy of existing statutes and Sentencing Guidelines enhancements for achieving the desired sentencing increases.