Bernie Sanders Says ‘Science-Fiction Fear Of AI Running The World Is Real’ — Then Urges America To Slow ‘Most Consequential Technology’

A science-fiction fear about artificial intelligence running the world is no longer theoretical, according to one U.S. senator.

“The science-fiction fear of AI running the world is real,” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT.) recently told CNN, calling AI “the most consequential technology of our lifetime” and urging the U.S. to slow its development.

Sanders Names Who Is Pushing AI

Sanders said the AI boom is being steered by a small group of wealthy tech leaders, naming Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk, Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META) CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) founder Jeff Bezos, and raised questions about their influence over AI’s development.

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“What is their motive? You think they’re staying up nights worrying about working people and how this technology will impact those people?” Sanders said. “They are not. They are doing it to get richer and more powerful.”

Jobs And Economic Consequences

Sanders cited public comments from technology leaders who have said AI will eliminate jobs and questioned how people would earn income if automation reduces the need for human labor.

“If there are no jobs and humans won’t be needed for most things, how do people get an income to feed their families, to get healthcare, or to pay the rent?” Sanders told CNN. “There’s not been one serious word of discussion in the Congress about that reality.”

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Mental Health And Congressional Inaction

Sanders also discussed the growing use of AI for emotional support, particularly among young people. He said Congress should study how increased reliance on AI systems may affect mental health.

“And if we conclude that these technologies are creating more isolation, more loneliness, more mental illness, you know what? We have got to figure out a way to stop it,” Sanders told CNN.

Sanders criticized Congress for failing to take significant action as AI continues to expand across the economy and daily life. “This technology is being pushed by a handful of the wealthiest and most powerful people on Earth,” he said. “Can they be stopped? I don’t know.”

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