Senator Bernie Sanders and conservative podcaster Steve Bannon united on Tuesday to call for strict regulations on artificial intelligence. This unexpected collaboration arises from shared concerns about the risks this emerging technology poses to human welfare.
Growing Concerns About Artificial Intelligence
The two political rivals will speak at a rally in Washington, showcasing how increasing concerns about automated systems have broken traditional political lines. Public concern over the potential harms of advanced systems has recently intensified. Last week, Jacob Caxton, a researcher at Anthropic, announced his resignation, explaining part of his reasons: "Those who build AI seriously believe it could kill us by the end of the decade." These safety warnings, along with calls from executives to slow the pace of technological advancement, led to a global decline in AI-related stocks on Monday.
Bannon's Criticism of Trump
Bannon, a prominent supporter of President Donald Trump, criticized the President's reluctance to establish federal oversight, attributing this non-interventionist stance directly to corporate influence. Bannon emphasized on his Monday program that federal lawmakers should not prevent states from enacting local restrictions. He stated, "The American people will not be subjugated to these tech oligarchs."
This discussion coincides with ongoing reviews among U.S. senators regarding a draft law that would prevent the implementation of state laws concerning high-risk artificial intelligence, following previous unsuccessful attempts to restrict AI actions at the state level.
In contrast, Trump dismissed corporate leaders' warnings about potential abuses of artificial intelligence on Monday, believing that adequate regulatory measures exist nationwide.
Organizers confirmed that the Washington rally will also feature speeches from Liz Shuler, President of the AFL-CIO, the largest labor federation in the country, and Walter Kim, President of the National Association of Evangelicals. Sanders, along with Democratic Representative Greg Casar, has called for the passage of federal laws to halt the production of tools capable of "overthrowing or undermining the U.S. government" until a specialized entity is established to oversee the industry.
Source: independent.co.uk
