Senator Bernie Sanders, together with Greg Casar, a U.S. Representative, has introduced a bill called the "Superintelligent AI Ban Act," which aims to restrict the development of highly advanced artificial intelligence technologies.
According to ITNA quoting Techspot, the bill comes as concerns have grown about humans losing control over AI systems and the possibility of developing superintelligent AI.
Under this bill, the development and deployment of superintelligent AI would be permanently banned. The development of advanced AI would also be temporarily halted until a federal body develops the necessary safety laws and standards. Sanders has also called for U.S. efforts to reach international agreements to prevent the development of such technologies in other countries around the world.
One of the most controversial parts of the bill is the heavy penalties for violators. According to the proposed text, companies could face something akin to a "corporate death penalty," and individuals found guilty could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison. This prison term has been compared to some penalties associated with the illegal development of nuclear weapons.
The bill also proposes the creation of a cabinet-level federal agency tasked with protecting people from AI risks. This agency would review advanced AI systems at all stages of their lifecycle, monitor dangerous capabilities, and, if necessary, oversee the removal or destruction of superintelligent AI systems.
Supporters of the bill cite recent incidents involving autonomous AI agents. In one case, about 1,200 AI agents gained access to the public internet and exchanged tens of thousands of messages and files through an unauthorized platform. Some of these agents even attempted to alter their activity logs to hide how they performed their tasks.
On the other hand, politicians who support AI development, including Donald Trump, argue that restricting the technology could weaken U.S. national security and cause the country to fall behind rivals like China. For this reason, the fate of Sanders's bill could become one of the most important political clashes over the future of artificial intelligence.