Senator Bernie Sanders is issuing one of his strongest warnings yet on artificial intelligence, calling for immediate congressional action as he outlines a sweeping set of risks that need national attention.
In a new video update, the Vermont senator says AI and robotics are now an emergency national blind spot, as the technologies are accelerating far faster than the political system is prepared to handle.
He highlights that the public conversation about AI and robotics is dangerously behind the speed of technological progress.
“Artificial intelligence and robotics will transform the world. It will bring unimaginable changes to our economy, our politics, warfare, foreign policy, our emotional well-being, our environment, and how we educate and raise our children. Further, unbelievable but true, there is a very real fear that in the not-too-distant future, a super-intelligent AI could replace human beings in controlling the planet. That’s not science fiction. That is a real fear that very knowledgeable people have.
Despite the extraordinary importance of this issue and the speed at which it is progressing, AI is getting far too little discussion in Congress, the media, and within the general population. And that has got to change now.”
He says one of the biggest threats is that a handful of billionaires are shaping the future without the input of the American people.
“Currently, a handful of the very wealthiest people on Earth, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, and others are investing many, many hundreds of billions of dollars in developing and implementing AI and robotics.
Are we comfortable with seeing these enormously powerful men, a handful of people, shape the future of humanity without any democratic input or oversight?”
Looking at the potential impact of AI on the job market, Sanders warns that the economic fallout could be historic, with entire professions vulnerable to automation.
“The report that I released last month found that AI, automation, and robotics could replace nearly 100 million jobs in America over the next decade, including 40% of registered nurses, 47% of truck drivers, 64% of accountants, 65% of teaching assistants, and 89% of fast food workers among many other occupations that will be hit hard by AI and robotics.”
He also raises the specter of existential risk, referencing early depictions of artificial intelligence overpowering human decision makers.
“Today, as AI makes rapid progress, Dr. Geoffrey Hinton recently told me that it was only a matter of time before AI becomes smarter than human beings. Now, what’s the impact of that? Does that raise the possibility that humans will actually lose their ability to control the planet?”
Sanders closes with a demand for Congress to engage with the issue before consequences become irreversible.
“AI and robotics are revolutionary technologies that will bring about an unprecedented transformation of society. Will these changes be positive and improve life for ordinary Americans, or will they be disastrous? In my view, Congress must act now. We’ve got to start answering these questions and other questions. We need to have a national discussion. This is a huge issue.”
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