Sanders: The Future of AI Can’t Rest in the Hands of Few Billionaires at Silicon

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has issued a direct question to the powerbrokers of the artificial intelligence revolution, declaring that the future of AI “cannot rest in the hands of a handful of billionaires.”

In a lengthy social media post, Senator Sanders framed the rapid development of AI and robotics as an impending power struggle.

He argued that decisions currently made “behind closed doors” in Silicon Valley boardrooms will irrevocably shape the economic and democratic foundations of society, often without the input or even the awareness of the working people most affected.

“Artificial intelligence and robotics will transform the world The American people must determine how AI impacts their lives”, Sanders wrote.

The Senator outlined a series of fundamental and urgent questions he plans to raise with industry leaders, focusing on four key areas of threat and opportunity:

1. Power and Purpose: “Who will be in charge of the transformation into an AI world?” Sanders asked, questioning whether the primary goal is to amplify the wealth and power of a tiny elite or to broadly benefit society.
2. Economic Survival: He highlighted the direct threat to the workforce, demanding answers for how people will survive if AI eliminates millions of jobs. “If AI and robotics eliminate millions of jobs, how will people survive if they have no income?” he pressed
3. Democratic Integrity: At a moment of global democratic fragility, Sanders questioned whether AI would become a tool for liberation or for oligarchic control. “Will AI and robotics help make us a freer, more democratic society or will it give even more power to the oligarchs?”
4. Existential Risk: Citing a sobering conversation with “Godfather of AI” Dr. Geoffrey Hinton, Sanders elevated concerns that AI could eventually surpass human intelligence. He called for international cooperation to manage what he termed “this extraordinary threat.”

While much of Washington’s focus has been on potential regulation, national security, and intellectual property, Sanders is centering the conversation on labor, inequality, and democratic governance.