Bernie Sanders and Steve Bannon to share a stage to promote curbs on AI
Senator Bernie Sanders and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon are set to speak at the "Pro-Human Assembly" in Washington, D.C., advocating for faster congressional action to regulate artificial intelligence. Concurrently, the House is scheduled to vote on the "Ratepayer Protection Act," a bill designed to mitigate energy cost spikes linked to data center construction.
Left-wing socialist Bernie Sanders and right-wing strategist Steve Bannon are uniting at the "Pro-Human Assembly" in Washington, D.C., to urge Congress to expedite efforts to curb the impact of artificial intelligence. This rare bipartisan collaboration, organized by the Future of Life Institute, highlights growing concerns across the political spectrum regarding AI's rapid development and its societal implications. The event aligns with calls from AI industry leaders, including Anthropic and OpenAI, for a slowdown in AI advancement to maintain human control.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., while supporting some AI guardrails, expressed reservations about a moratorium, citing the competitive threat from China. He believes companies, not Congress, should primarily be responsible for policing safety. In a move reflecting voter anxieties over AI's infrastructure, the House is slated to vote on the "Ratepayer Protection Act," a bill aimed at protecting Americans from potential energy cost increases driven by the proliferation of data centers.
Former President Trump has championed AI and data centers but has also acknowledged voter concerns about AI risks, though he quickly dismissed industry warnings as exaggerated. The "Pro-Human Assembly" also features prominent figures like Hollywood stars Ashley Judd and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, religious leaders, and child safety advocates, all advocating for stronger AI controls.