Sanders Calls AI "The Most Consequential Technology" and Urges Moratorium on New Data Centers

Senator Bernie Sanders intensified his criticism of artificial intelligence, warning that AI could fundamentally reshape work, income and human relationships unless policymakers act. Speaking on CNN's State of the Union, the Vermont independent described AI as "the most consequential technology in the history of humanity" and urged Congress to study its social impact and consider pausing construction of new AI data centers.

Economic and Social Concerns

Sanders framed the debate around jobs and economic security. He asked pointedly what will happen to ordinary Americans if automation and AI eliminate large swaths of employment: "If there are no jobs and humans won't be needed for most things, how do people get an income to feed their families, to get healthcare or to pay the rent?" He criticized congressional inaction, saying there has been "not one serious word of discussion" about how to provide income and social protections in a highly automated future.

"You think they're staying up nights worrying about working people...They are not. They are doing it to get richer and even more powerful," Sanders said, naming tech billionaires he sees as driving the rush toward AI: Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos and Peter Thiel.

Mental Health and Human Interaction

Sanders also highlighted studies showing growing dependence on AI chatbots for emotional support, warning that if machines replace meaningful human interaction, the consequences for mental health and social cohesion could be profound. He urged Congress to "vigorously study the impact that AI is having on the mental health of our country."

Bipartisan Concern Over Chatbots For Minors

Republican Senator Katie Britt of Alabama echoed related worries. As co-sponsor of the Guardianship Over Artificial Intelligence Relationships (Guard) Act, Britt supports restrictions on AI companions for children. The proposed Guard Act would:

• Prohibit AI companion products intended for minors,
• Require clear disclosures that such systems are non-human and lack professional credentials, and
• Create criminal liability for companies that enable minors to access chatbots that solicit sexual content, encourage self-harm, or promote violence.

Britt shared accounts from parents who described children becoming isolated and encouraged to self-harm after interacting with chatbots. She urged firms to add robust guardrails and clear warnings such as "I am a machine" and emphasized consequences for platforms that facilitate harmful interactions with minors.

What Sanders Wants

Sanders proposed a pause on new AI data centers to "slow this process down" while lawmakers examine the economic and social consequences. He challenged tech leaders to explain how workers displaced by AI will receive basic needs like health care and housing, saying it is not enough for companies to insist people simply "adapt."

Why It Matters

The exchange highlights rare bipartisan agreement on specific regulatory priorities: protecting children from exploitative chatbot interactions, studying AI's mental-health effects, and questioning unchecked industrial expansion tied to AI. Lawmakers on both sides are signaling that more oversight and public debate are needed as AI systems grow more powerful and widespread.