Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Greg Casar introduced a bill on September 23 to permanently ban artificial superintelligence and create a new federal AI agency. The Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act aims to freeze the development of advanced AI systems until a new federal agency establishes clear safety rules, while non-compliance could result in forced corporate dissolution or up to 20 years in prison for individuals.
Senator Sanders stated that current AI models can already hack computer systems, create new viruses, and build new AI independently, noting that tech companies are pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into the technology despite known risks. Representative Casar warned that AI superintelligence poses severe existential threats to humanity and criticized efforts to speed up its development.
The proposed legislation also advocates for international agreements to prevent the development of superintelligence worldwide, aligning with recent regulatory discussions involving U.S. and Chinese experts. This matters because the bill introduces some of the strictest proposed penalties and governmental controls yet for the artificial intelligence industry.