Bernie Sanders

Roles

1. Jan 2007 – presentUnited States Senator for Vermont, United States SenateIndependent who caucuses with the Democrats; ranking member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.Source →

On the record

1. 15 Sept 2026 · Speech · Pro-Human Assembly, Washington, DC

   If AI surpasses human intelligence, as many scientists believe could happen, this technology will escape human control with potentially catastrophic consequences … When you are racing toward a cliff, you don’t just ease up on the gas pedal. You hit the brakes.

   United States Senator for Vermont, United States Senate at the time

   From the same event as the two items above, but as delivered and reported by the Boston Globe rather than from the prepared remarks his office published; he was arguing for a permanent ban on developing superintelligent systems. The ellipsis stands where the page prints an attribution tag (“,” Sanders said. … “,” Sanders added. “), and the first half ends on that attribution comma, so it is rendered without final punctuation.

   Will AI kill us all? Not if Steve Bannon, Bernie Sanders, and Lori Trahan have their say. →

2. 15 Sept 2026 · Speech · Pro-Human Assembly, Washington, DC

   Like nuclear weapons, artificial superintelligence is a threat to humanity — and it must be treated as such.

   United States Senator for Vermont, United States Senate at the time

   Announcing legislation with Rep. Greg Casar to permanently ban the development of artificial superintelligence, which the same remarks define as “an AI mind smarter than any human being and capable of operating independently beyond our control”. Scripps News reports the sentence as delivered with a comma where his office prints an em dash; the em dash is what the page cited here carries.

   PREPARED REMARKS: Sanders: Regulating AI “is as American as apple pie.” →

3. 15 Sept 2026 · Speech · Pro-Human Assembly, Washington, DC

   Scientists have been clear: AI is an existential threat to humanity. Congress and governments around the world must act now before it is too late.

   United States Senator for Vermont, United States Senate at the time

   At the Pro-Human Assembly convened by the Future of Life Institute; the text is the prepared remarks his own office published, dated 15 September 2026, rather than a transcript of what was delivered.

   PREPARED REMARKS: Sanders: Regulating AI “is as American as apple pie.” →

4. 3 Sept 2026 · Statement · Office of Senator Bernie Sanders

   Nearly every day, there is a frightening new story about how Big Tech companies are losing control of the technology they are developing, with potentially cataclysmic results.

   United States Senator for Vermont, United States Senate at the time

   Announcing the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act with Rep. Greg Casar, which would ban superintelligent AI and pause frontier development until a federal regulator sets safety rules; the release is dated 3 September, as quoted by TechRepublic.

   Sanders, Casar Want to Outlaw AI 'Superintelligence' and Pause Frontier AI →