The Struggle for a Coherent AI Policy

In March, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont held an unusual event where he questioned Anthropic’s AI chatbot, Claude, about AI’s influence on democracy and suggested a development pause for new AI data centers. Sanders treated the chatbot as a sentient entity, raising concerns about AI regulation.

Sanders also mentioned Geoffrey Hinton’s warning on CNN about AI potentially surpassing human intelligence, citing a 10 to 20 percent risk of humanity’s extermination. This perspective echoes fears often seen from figures like Elon Musk.

Silicon Valley’s leaders propagate the idea of AI’s godlike potential to boost hype and stock prices. They find allies among Democrats like Sanders who lack a clear AI policy and showcase an apocalyptic AI future.

The left’s concerns about AI cover military uses, job displacement, and the considerable energy demands of AI infrastructure. Despite these concerns, progressives struggle to establish a feasible AI agenda.

In March, Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez advocated for a moratorium on data centers until AI’s threats to humanity are regulated. While safety rules are sensible, the feasibility of such a moratorium is questionable. The proposed bill also reinforces industry narratives with comments from billionaires like Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Larry Ellison on AI’s potential catastrophic risks.

Other Democrats have suggested marginal AI regulation. In 2024, Representative Summer Lee and Senator Edward J. Markey introduced a bill for oversight on algorithmic bias in federal agencies, while Senator Chris Coons promoted technology development aligning with human rights. However, these proposals offer minor amendments and have stalled in legislative processes.