Bernie Sanders' AI regulation push with Chinese scientists ignites national security debate

Bernie Sanders urges international cooperation to curb AI's 'runaway train'

US senator holds panel with leading Chinese scientists and warns of risks to society unless new technology is regulated The US senator Bernie Sanders espoused the importance of international cooperation in regulating AI at a Wednesday panel on Capitol Hill alongside two leading Chinese scientists. As startups and tech giants, most prominently in Silicon Valley and Beijing, race to advance and scale their artificial intelligence, Sanders has been among the AI skeptics advocating for safeguards. During the discussion, Sanders raised concerns about potential implications stemming from widespread AI use including misinformation, loss of data privacy, and social isolation among adolescents who are dependent on chatbots. The Vermont senator also voiced alarm about the existential risks automation may pose to American society, raising a possible surge in unemployment if companies favor automated labor over human workers. The researchers on the panel also presented the prospect of super-intelligent systems operating outside the bounds of its designers' instructions. "The richest, most powerful people in the world are now building a runaway train with no brakes. They acknowledge that they don't understand how it works, and they don't know where it's headed," Sanders said, who suggested a doomsday future if safety measures are not implemented. Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, called for an international treaty similar to the cold-war era nuclear pact. "We need to cooperate. We need dialogue," he said. The optics of an event with Chinese academics - Xue Lan of Tsinghua University and Zeng Yi of the Beijing Institute of AI Safety and Governance - drew backlash from some conservatives, who did not appear to dispute the need for regulation, but who questioned the trustworthiness of the Chinese government. "Senator Sanders' concerns about AI are overstated, but I respect them. We should be asking questions about child safety, community impact, and economic displacement," wrote Michael Sobolik, a senior fellow at the conservative thinktank the Hudson Institute, in a Monday X post. "What we shouldn't do is partner with foreign adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party in those discussions." In another X post on Monday, US treasury secretary Scott Bessent touted an America-first agenda. "The United States is home to the most talented AI researchers in the world," he wrote. "The real threat to AI safety is letting any nation other than the United States set the global standard." Addressing the geopolitical situation, Lan said on Wednesday: "It is unimaginable to think of a world that only few countries and few companies have the most powerful tool but the rest of the world is impoverished with nothing." He said: "The US and China would have common interest to work together to bridge the AI divide. Sanders has previously raised alarm about the proliferation of AI. In March, Sanders and New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced a bill that, if passed, would halt new construction of AI datacenters. "AI and robotics are creating the most sweeping technological revolution in the history of humanity. The scale, scope and speed of that change is unprecedented. Congress is way behind where it should be in understanding the nature of this revolution and its impacts," Sanders said then in a statement.

Bernie Sanders splits with Washington on AI arms race with China

Driving the news: Sanders this week brought together researchers from the U.S. and China to discuss the "existential threat" of AI and how the two countries could work together. * "In the last five months, I've seen the emergence of what I like to joke with my wife as the Bernie to Bannon coalition," said Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Max Tegmark, referring to MAGA influencer Steve Bannon. * "Extremely unlikely bedfellows from across the whole political spectrum saying, 'This is crazy. This is absolutely nuts. Let's do something about it.'" * Tegmark zeroed in on how chatbots may be harming young people: "For someone to say that we must legalize this kind of evil for profit because China makes absolutely no sense." Panelists called on scientists in both countries to work together to set global safety standards. * "The first thing we have to change is the inaccurate narrative that the U.S. and China are engaged in AI race," Tsinghua University professor Xue Lan said. "It's a a global race to see who can really develop the best model that can be safe and reliable." * Xue acknowledged there's a real geopolitical rivalry, but said that there should be "safe zones" for cooperation on AI safety. Between the lines: Trillions of dollars are being spent on an AI race with no clear finish line. * The race against China is often framed as technology falling in the hands of an authoritarian regime versus a democratic one, but pushback in the U.S. is growing over AI-powered surveillance. What we're watching: AI safety is expected to be on the agenda for an upcoming summit between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. * "When the U.S. government talks to China about AI, it must do so from a position of strength. Obviously the CCP is our adversary, and President Trump knows that," said Alliance for Secure AI CEO Brendan Steinhauser said. * The group has been engaging with conservative audiences and media to try to shape the debate around AI as one where safety and competition matter. The bottom line: As with his push to block new data centers, Sanders is again bucking moderate thinking on AI by rejecting the race with China frame that dominates both parties.

Bernie Sanders sabotaging AI, helps foreign enemies slow down US tech

Sen. Bernie Sanders isn't my least favorite Democrat. While the independent from Vermont is far, far left, occasionally he says things I think make sense, usually on foreign policy and civil liberties. I appreciate that he's principled and ideological. He believes in something, he doesn't just go whichever way the wind blows. But on AI and technology regulation, Sanders's socialist ideology is nuts. Actually, it's downright sabotage. And now it appears the senator is willing to partner with a foreign adversary in order to strategize various ways of slowing down implementation of AI in the U.S. In fact, Sanders will be speaking at an event at the Capitol on Wednesday, supposedly on AI safety, which also features Zeng Yi, dean of the Beijing Institute of AI Safety and Governance. In other words, that's a Chinese organization. I'm with Marc Andressen, who calls that connection, "Concerning." Indeed, I don't think a U.S. senator should partner with a Chinese Communist Party educational institution to lecture the U.S. on moving slower on AI. Can Sanders not see the problem here? Look, I gather that he wants to stop AI because he's concerned about job loss, and is a little old-fashioned in his economic thinking. But the Chinese don't want to stop AI -- they want to stop American AI, so China can win the race and gain power. That can't happen, because China is an adversary of the U.S. It is our main adversary. Its government is autocratic and abusive, and must be opposed. As the Hudson Institute's Michael Sobolik puts it: "I think Senator Sanders' concerns about AI are overstated, but I respect them. We should be asking questions about child safety, community impact, and economic displacement. What we shouldn't do is partner with foreign adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party in those discussions." Note when Sanders talks about the threat posed by AI, he never mentions foreign adversaries stealing the lead on us. Here he was recently going over the risks. Look, we will have to find ways to mitigate some of those consequences, and certainly we don't want to lose control of AI and face some kind of machine takeover like in "The Matrix," or "The Terminator." But let's not pretend a foreign adversary has some sincere interest in saving humanity. I say Sanders's support for socialism, and frankly his softness toward communist regimes like the former Soviet Union, make him vulnerable to being a useful idiot for the cause of foreign left-wing totalitarianism. That's a much more real, less abstract threat, than whatever AI represents. Robby Soave is co-host of The Hill's commentary show "Rising" and a senior editor for Reason Magazine. This column is an edited transcription of his daily commentary.

GOP Lawmaker: Bernie Sanders Is A 'Threat To National Security'

House Intelligence Chair Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) described Sanders as a "communist" amid the senator's quest for anti-AI measures. House Intelligence Chair Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) called Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) a "threat to national security" Monday ahead of Sanders' plans to host top Chinese experts in a discussion about the risks of artificial intelligence. "America-last Sen. Sanders is a guy that has a history of embracing communism, visiting the Soviet Union," Crawford said on Fox Business Network's "Mornings With Maria." "It was back during the Cold War when Americans typically did not go to the Soviet Union, but that was a vacation destination for him." Claiming that Sanders, a self-declared Democratic Socialist, "embraces Chinese communism," the GOP lawmaker added, "All I can say is if it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck, it's a duck." Crawford also described Sanders as a "communist," and said he is a "threat to national security." HuffPost has reached out to Sanders' office for comment. In March, Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) announced the Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act, which would put a hold on new data centers in the U.S. until national AI safety regulations and safeguards are put into place to protect workers, consumers and the environment. Sanders announced on X last week that he plans to host a discussion on Wednesday evening with "leading AI scientists from the US and China about the need for international cooperation against this existential threat," which he called "an enormously important issue." Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also blasted Sanders, writing in a Monday X post: "The United States is home to the most talented AI researchers in the world. Instead of harnessing American innovation, Senator Sanders is inviting foreign nationals to tell the United States how to regulate AI." Bessent added that the "real threat to AI safety is letting any nation other than the United States set the global standard."

Kevin O'Leary Slams Bernie Sanders' China-Linked Forum, Says US Cannot Let Beijing Shape The Future Of AI

On Friday, investor Kevin O'Leary warned that America's AI leadership and national security are at risk if Chinese researchers are allowed to help influence U.S. artificial intelligence policy. Kevin O'Leary Warns China Is outpacing The US The "Shark Tank" investor sharply criticized Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-Vt) AI safety forum, which includes Chinese researchers among its participants. He argued that the U.S. should not give geopolitical rivals a role in shaping the future of one of the world's most critical technologies. Speaking on Fox News, O'Leary said China is rapidly expanding its power generation and data center capabilities to strengthen both its economy and military. "China is our adversary," O'Leary said. "They are building more power than we are and then using it to power data centers to advance both economic interests and of course, military as well." "We can't let the Chinese beat us in AI," O'Leary added. O'Leary attacks Bernie Sanders' International AI safety approach O'Leary dismissed Sanders' push for international AI cooperation as dangerously misguided. "Bernie, I get it. He's very, very good at sound bites, but he's way offside on this one," O'Leary said. Sanders' AI Forum Faces Criticism Over China's Role Sanders' Capitol Hill forum aimed to address existential AI risks through global dialogue, bringing together experts from the U.S., China and other nations. Sanders has argued that "uncontrolled AI poses a severe danger to all of humanity." But O'Leary and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent have both argued that allowing China a voice in U.S. AI governance could undermine America's strategic advantage. Previously, prominent venture capitalist Marc Andreessen also raised concerns about Sanders' forum. The U.S. has generally taken a market-oriented approach to AI regulation aimed at protecting innovation, while China has relied on tighter government control to speed up its progress in AI and semiconductor development. In 2025, both the U.S. and the U.K. declined to sign a global AI safety declaration at the AI Action Summit in Paris. Meanwhile, nearly 60 countries -- including China, India and Germany -- supported the nonbinding agreement, which promoted artificial intelligence that is "safe, secure and trustworthy." Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Image via Shutterstock Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs To add Benzinga News as your preferred source on Google, click here.

Scott Bessent Blasts Bernie Sanders For Hosting Chinese Scientists For Discussions On AI Threats: Like 'C

Bessent Attacks Sanders' International AI Cooperation Push The clash erupted after Sanders announced an April 29 discussion on existential AI risks featuring researchers from both the U.S. and China. The forum will bring together prominent AI experts, including MIT's Max Tegmark, University of Montreal researcher David Krueger, Tsinghua University's Xue Lan and Zeng Yi from the Beijing Institute of AI Safety and Governance. Sanders said on X that "uncontrolled AI poses a severe danger to all of humanity" and called international cooperation essential to addressing what he described as an existential threat. Bessent fired back, saying, "The United States is home to the most talented AI researchers in the world," while accusing Sanders of looking abroad instead of relying on American innovation. He added, "The real threat to AI safety is letting any nation other than the United States set the global standard." US-China AI Rivalry Intensifies The U.S. has largely favored a market-driven regulatory approach to preserve innovation, while China has embraced centralized state oversight to accelerate its domestic AI and semiconductor leadership. In 2025, the U.S. and the U.K. chose not to sign a global AI safety declaration at the AI Action Summit in Paris. At the time, nearly 60 other nations -- including China, India and Germany -- backed the nonbinding agreement supporting AI that is "safe, secure and trustworthy." Bessent's remarks also come amid heightened scrutiny of China's expanding AI ecosystem, as the Donald Trump administration this month accused China-linked actors of stealing American AI technologies through unauthorized model distillation. Silicon Valley And Policymakers Divided On AI Governance Prominent venture capitalist Marc Andreessen also signaled concern over Sanders' event. In 2024, the EU enacted the world's first comprehensive AI law, initially targeting systems classified as posing "unacceptable" risk. Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Image via Shutterstock/ DT phots1 Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs To add Benzinga News as your preferred source on Google, click here.

House Intel chief blasts Bernie Sanders as 'a threat to national security' over anti-AI crusade

WASHINGTON -- House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Rick Crawford blasted Sen. Bernie Sanders as a "threat to national security" ahead of the self-styled democratic socialist's anti-artificial intelligence panel with top Chinese experts. Crawford (R-Ark.) homed in on Sanders' (I-Vt.) past affinity for far-left communist and socialist movements while contending that his anti-AI crusade undermines US geopolitical and security interests. "America last Senator Sanders is a guy that has a history of embracing communism visiting the Soviet Union," Crawford told Fox Business Network's "Mornings With Maria Bartiromo." "It was back during the Cold War when Americans typically did not go to the Soviet Union -- but that was a vacation designation for him," the GOP lawmaker added. "He embraces Chinese communism. All I can say is if it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck, it's a duck." After tying the knot with his wife Jane in the late 1980s, the two embarked on a 10-day journey to the Soviet Union. At the time, he was serving as mayor of Burlington, Vermont, and was traveling there on official business to establish a sister-city arrangement with Yaroslavl. Sanders has since described it as "a very strange honeymoon." On Wednesday, Sanders is set to convene an AI panel on Capitol Hill as part of his crusade to pump the brakes on the development of the nascent technology, citing fears that policymakers haven't kept up. That panel will include Xue Lan, a professor at Tsinghua University and chairman of the New Generation Artificial Intelligence Governance Professional Committee, which is closely aligned with the Chinese Communist Party. Zeng Yi, the Dean of the Beijing Institute of AI Safety and Governance, who is linked to that same CCP-aligned panel, will also be in attendance. Critics have argued that the Chinese experts have an interest in encouraging the US to slow down its AI development so that China can jump ahead. "The United States is home to the most talented AI researchers in the world," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent jabbed at Sanders this week. "Instead of harnessing American innovation, Senator Sanders is inviting foreign nationals to tell the United States how to regulate AI." "It would be like channeling Hugo Chavez to get advice on how to run our economy -- oh wait, the Senator from Vermont did that 20 years ago, too," he added. "The real threat to AI safety is letting any nation other than the United States set the global standard." Sanders had infamously signed a letter of support to late Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chavez in 2003. The Vermont Independent has been an ardent skeptic of the rapid technological advancements in AI development. He's pushed for a moratorium on AI data centers to give lawmakers time to catch up. "Uncontrolled AI poses a severe danger to all of humanity," Sanders said last week. "I'll be hosting a discussion with leading AI scientists from the US and China about the need for international cooperation against this existential threat. This is an enormously important issue."