US Senator Bernie Sanders has called for international cooperation to regulate artificial intelligence, warning that the technology poses significant risks to society unless safeguards are implemented. Speaking at a Capitol Hill panel on Wednesday alongside two leading Chinese scientists, the Vermont independent described AI development as a 'runaway train with no brakes'.
Sanders highlighted concerns including misinformation, loss of data privacy, and social isolation among adolescents reliant on chatbots. He also warned of potential mass unemployment if companies favour automated labour over human workers, and raised the possibility of super-intelligent systems operating beyond human control. He urged an international treaty similar to Cold War-era nuclear pacts.
The panel featured Xue Lan of Tsinghua University and Zeng Yi of the Beijing Institute of AI Safety and Governance. Their presence drew backlash from some conservatives. Michael Sobolik of the Hudson Institute argued that while AI regulation is needed, the US should not partner with 'foreign adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party'. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also advocated an America-first approach, stating that the US should set global AI standards.
Addressing geopolitical tensions, Xue Lan said it was unimaginable to have a world where only a few countries and companies possess powerful AI tools while others are impoverished. He stressed that the US and China share a common interest in bridging the AI divide. Sanders has previously co-sponsored a bill to halt new AI data centre construction, warning that Congress is behind in understanding the technological revolution.
