Sen. Bernie Sanders unveils bill to ban artificial superintelligence and create Department of AI
Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Greg Casar have introduced legislation to ban artificial superintelligence and create a new federal Department of AI. The bill also proposes a pause on advanced AI development until federal safety guidelines are established. The initiative comes as some AI industry employees endorse the need for guardrails, despite differing opinions among tech leaders and political figures.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, unveiled legislation on Wednesday aimed at significantly regulating artificial intelligence. The proposed bill seeks to permanently ban artificial superintelligence, defined as systems exceeding human cognitive ability or capable of humanity's destruction, and would establish a new federal Department of Artificial Intelligence.
The legislation also calls for a temporary pause on the development of the most advanced AI systems until federal safety rules are implemented and approved by the new department. Violations of these regulations could lead to substantial penalties, including prison sentences. Several current employees from leading AI companies, including OpenAI and Google DeepMind, have publicly endorsed the bill, citing concerns about potential catastrophic risks if AI development remains unchecked.
While the bill faces considerable challenges in the Republican-controlled Congress, it highlights the progressive wing of the Democratic Party's approach to AI regulation. The broader debate over AI has also revealed increased public concern regarding the technology's environmental impacts and the local effects of data centers, which power AI and cloud computing, according to a recent AP-NORC poll. This contrasts with former President Donald Trump's stance, who has resisted calls for greater government oversight of the AI industry.