Bernie Sanders and AOC Want to Pump the Brakes on AI Development

Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are announcing their support for two new AI bills aimed at putting a federal moratorium on the constructions of data centers. Sanders is introducing his bill, the AI Data Center Moratorium Act, on Wednesday.

“AI and robotics are creating the most sweeping technological revolution in the history of humanity. Congress is way behind where it should be in understanding the nature of this revolution and its impacts,” Sanders says in a statement to Rolling Stone. “We cannot sit back and allow a handful of billionaire Big Tech oligarchs to make decisions that will reshape our economy, our democracy and the future of humanity. We need serious public debate and democratic oversight over this enormously consequential issue.”

The legislation aims to slow down the development of AI, and to give Congress a chance to catch up with proper regulation. Sanders is calling for an immediate federal moratorium on AI data centers until national safeguards are in place to ensure that AI is safe and effective and won’t harm “health, privacy, civil rights, and the future of humanity.” The bill also calls for regulation to ensure that the economic gains of AI will benefit workers, “not just the wealthy owners of Big Tech,” as well as laws to protect the environment and prevent increased electricity prices for communities.

On Tuesday night, Sanders spoke on the Senate floor for half an hour about AI risks, impacts, and the oligarchs running tech companies. At one point he brought up the impact AI has on the environment and addressed how AI requires large data centers that need a massive amount of electricity and water.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/bernie-sanders-aoc-want-pump-134610069.html