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US senator Bernie Sanders has escalated his warning over artificial intelligence, arguing that the technology\u2019s rapid expansion\u2014driven by the world\u2019s wealthiest individuals\u2014risks destabilising labour markets, undermining human connection and outpacing democratic oversight. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Bernie Sanders raised the possibility of a moratorium on new AI data centres, saying lawmakers have yet to grapple seriously with the social consequences of a technology advancing at breakneck speed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Speaking on CNN\u2019s State of the Union<\/i> on Sunday, Sanders said he was \u201cfearful of a lot\u201d when it came to AI, describing it as \u201cthe most consequential technology in the history of humanity\u201d that would \u201ctransform\u201d the United States and the world in ways that have not been fully discussed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n At the heart of Bernie Sanders\u2019 critique lies a fundamental economic concern: mass job displacement without a corresponding plan for income security.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cIf there are no jobs and humans won\u2019t be needed for most things, how do people get an income to feed their families, to get healthcare or to pay the rent?\u201d Sanders said. \u201cThere\u2019s not been one serious word of discussion in the Congress about that reality.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Bernie Sanders’s warning echoes a growing body of research suggesting that AI-driven automation could reshape employment on a vast scale. Recent global labour-market projections indicate that while new roles may emerge, tens of millions of existing jobs worldwide could be displaced by the end of the decade, with advanced economies facing particularly acute transitions. Yet, as Sanders noted, there has been little sustained debate in Congress about how to redesign welfare systems, healthcare access or housing policy in anticipation of such disruption.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Bernie Sanders <\/strong>directly challenged the motives behind the AI boom, linking it to the financial ambitions of a small group of technology leaders. He singled out Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos and Peter Thiel, questioning whether their enthusiasm for AI was matched by concern for working people.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cYou think they\u2019re staying up nights worrying about working people and how this technology will impact those people?\u201d Sanders said. \u201cThey are not. They are doing it to get richer and even more powerful.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The senator\u2019s remarks come amid an unprecedented surge in AI investment. Private funding into AI companies has climbed into the tens of billions of dollars annually, with vast sums flowing into data centres, advanced chips and generative AI systems\u2014often concentrated in the hands of a few dominant firms.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Sanders also warned of less visible but potentially profound social consequences, citing studies that show increasing reliance on AI chatbots for emotional support.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cIf this trend continues, what does it mean over the years when people are not getting their support, their interaction from other human beings, but from a machine?\u201d he said. \u201cWhat does that mean to humanity?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n That concern has found rare bipartisan resonance. Republican senator Katie Britt used a separate appearance on State of the Union <\/i>to outline legislation aimed at protecting minors from AI companions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Britt is a co-sponsor of the proposed Guardianship Over Artificial Intelligence Relationships (GUARD) Act, which would place strict limits on AI companion tools accessible to children.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The bill seeks to ban AI companions for minors outright, require chatbots to repeatedly disclose that they are non-human and lack professional credentials, and establish criminal liability for companies that allow AI systems to produce sexually explicit material, encourage self-harm or promote violence to underage users.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nJobs, income and an unspoken crisis<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\u2018They are doing it to get richer\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Mental health, children and the rise of AI companions<\/strong><\/h2>\n
What the GUARD Act proposes<\/strong><\/h2>\n