An unlikely duo at opposite ends of the political spectrum, former President Trump adviser Steve Bannon and socialist Sen. Bernard Sanders, joined forces at a Tuesday event calling for more guardrails in artificial intelligence development.
Alongside lawmakers, union representatives, actors and advocacy groups at the “Pro-Human Assembly,” the two promoted human intervention in the blueprint for regulation.
Mr. Sanders, a democratic socialist from Vermont, teased legislation with Democratic Rep. Greg Casar of Texas to bar the development of artificial super-intelligence, urging lawmakers to treat it as a “threat to humanity.”
“This legislation will put an immediate pause on advanced AI development until we have clear safety rules in place developed by the most knowledgeable scientists in our country,” he said.
Rep. Lori Trahan, Massachusetts Democrat, also touted a new legislative framework, the FRONTIER Act, which would establish a federal regulatory blueprint for advanced AI.
Mr. Sanders said that while Congress has “been asleep at the wheel,” the executive branch has made the situation worse.
“We now have a president whose ignorance regarding this issue is truly embarrassing,” referring to Mr. Trump’s recent dismissal of AI concerns, adamantly rejecting new regulatory guardrails.
In a rare disagreement, Rep. Chip Roy, Texas Republican, challenged Mr. Trump’s assertion that the only guardrail AI needs is a “STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT.”
Mr. Bannon, on the other hand, called for executive action to slow down the pace of AI development.
Republicans’ views on AI have diverged in recent months, blending general caution about daily risks with leadership opposition to heavy federal regulation.
Recent reports of AI agents escaping containment or accessing external systems unexpectedly have also intensified global concerns over rogue AI behavior. Some industry insiders have warned that uncontrolled AI could end human civilization within a decade.
“If AI surpasses human intelligence, as many scientists believe could happen, this technology will escape human control with potentially catastrophic consequence,” Mr. Sanders said.
Mr. Bannon said that AI industry leaders “tried to cover up the danger.”
“What they’re trying to do now with this whole phony, ’Oh, we really should have some controls,’” Mr. Bannon said. “All they’re trying to do is to use a crisis and turn it to their advantage by creating a moat, a cartel.”
Tuesday’s event comes days after AI researcher Jacob Coxon quit Anthropic, cautioning that top labs are racing to build uncontrollable, self-improving superintelligence.
Both Mr. Bannon and Mr. Casar compared the AI race to the Cold War, even as Mr. Trump said his main goal is ensuring the U.S. beats China in the global AI race.
“No one can win the AI arms race. Our goal must be to end the AI arms race,” Mr. Casar said.
Mr. Trump is slated to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping next week, prompting Mr. Sanders to hope the two can put their heads together on regulating the future of AI.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, Louisiana Republican, said Tuesday that he and AI industry leaders will meet with the president within the next week to address public concerns regarding the technology.
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