Bernie Sanders pushes AI regulation as Trump administration considers FDA-style safety approval

Bernie Sanders Takes Hard Line on AI Risks in Washington

Sen. Bernie Sanders has positioned himself as one of the few federal lawmakers willing to embrace the "doomer" perspective on artificial intelligence, warning that AI risks pose an existential risk to humanity 1

1

. The 84-year-old senator has ramped up his messaging on the technology since late last year, telling reporters that "we're building a runaway train here" that's "moving down the track at rapidly expanding acceleration, and we don't know where it ends up" 1

1

. His stark warnings stand in sharp contrast to the prevailing sentiment in Congress, where both Democrats and Republicans have focused primarily on ensuring the United States maintains its technological edge over China.

Legislation Targets Data Center Construction and Job Displacement

Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced legislation in March that would halt data center construction until national safeguards are established 1

1

. The bill aims to prevent mass job displacement and limit increases in consumer electricity prices, addressing concerns that unregulated AI development prioritizes corporate profits over worker protections 1

1

. Sanders first called for a moratorium on data center construction late last year, arguing it would give "democracy a chance to catch up" amid the "unregulated sprint" to develop AI 1

1

. The progressive senator has repeatedly emphasized that tech titans like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg "really do not stay up nights worrying about working families, but simply want to get wealthier and more powerful" 1

1

.

Trump Administration Signals Shift Toward FDA-Style Safety Approval

In a surprising development, the Trump administration appears to be moving closer to Sanders' position on AI regulation. White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett suggested that new AI models "should go through a process so that they're released to the wild after they've been proven safe, just like an FDA drug" 2

2

. Sanders responded on Wednesday, stating that "maybe, just maybe, the Trump administration is beginning to face reality" after previously resisting AI regulation 2

2

. The proposed FDA-style safety approval system would require AI developers to demonstrate their models are safe before public deployment, marking a significant shift from the administration's earlier focus on preventing state-level regulations that could impede innovation 1

1

.

US-China Cooperation Draws Sharp Criticism from Washington

Sanders' call for US-China cooperation on AI safety has generated controversy in a capital increasingly focused on technological competition with Beijing. He organized an event last week on the "existential threat of AI and the need for international cooperation," which included Chinese researchers participating via teleconference 1

1

. The decision drew sharp pushback from Trump officials and allies, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent slamming Sanders for "inviting" Chinese participants 1

1

. Sen. Mark Warner dismissed the moratorium approach as "idiocy" at an Axios event in late March, warning that "this simply means China's going to move quicker" 1

1

. Donald Trump's administration has centered its AI policy heavily on the race with China, pushing to preempt state laws that could cause the U.S. to fall behind 1

1

.

Researchers Warn of Superintelligence Dangers

Sanders enjoys support from AI researchers who have long warned about the dangers of superintelligence, a form of AI that surpasses human intelligence. Max Tegmark, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, stated at Sanders' event that "if we just go ahead and do something that's foolhardy before figuring out how to control this stuff, we're in a worse position than the neanderthals" 1

1

. Jennifer Huddleston from the Cato Institute noted that Sanders' approach was more common several years ago when AI first became widely discussed, but "people started to see the incredibly beneficial applications of this technology" 1

1

. Meanwhile, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai urged the U.S. to lead AI development while acknowledging risks such as job disruption and the need for workforce retraining 2

2

. Sen. Adam Schiff noted that public skepticism toward Congress's ability to regulate AI was justified, as lawmakers must demonstrate effective action while the technology increasingly affects jobs and the broader economy 2

2

.