Sanders and Bannon to Address Washington Event on AI Curbs

An unlikely alliance is forming in Washington as Senator Bernie Sanders and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon prepare to share a stage Tuesday at the Pro-Human Assembly to press Congress for tighter controls on artificial intelligence. The event organized by the Future of Life Institute brings together voices from across the political spectrum to argue that humans must retain authority over rapidly advancing AI systems and that companies developing the technology must face real accountability.

Sanders has long warned about the concentration of power in the hands of a few tech giants and the risks that unchecked automation poses to workers and democratic institutions. Bannon echoed those themes on his Monday broadcast criticizing President Donald Trump for resisting federal oversight because of pressure from corporate interests. Bannon argued that states should remain free to impose their own restrictions and stated that the American people will not become supplicants to tech oligarchs.

The gathering comes amid fresh signs of unease in the AI sector. An Anthropic researcher resigned last week citing fears that the technology could kill humanity by the end of the decade. Those warnings along with calls from some executives to slow development contributed to a global selloff in AI-related stocks on Monday. Data centers powering the technology are also drawing scrutiny over their energy demands and environmental footprint.

Organizers released 33 principles in March that emphasize keeping humans in charge preserving individual agency and holding AI firms responsible for harms. The all-day event in the capital will feature a range of speakers pushing lawmakers to move faster on regulation at a moment when Senate debates continue over legislation that could limit states ability to set their own rules on high-risk AI applications.

The pairing underscores how concerns about AI are cutting across traditional divides. Sanders has focused on the threat to jobs and economic inequality while Bannon has framed the issue as one of sovereignty against unaccountable corporate power. Both sides agree that current hands-off approaches leave ordinary people vulnerable.

Lawmakers have already seen earlier efforts to block state-level AI measures fail in the Senate. With new safety alarms sounding and market volatility rising the assembly is intended to build momentum for federal action that prioritizes public safeguards over industry preferences. The event highlights a growing recognition that the stakes extend beyond partisan lines to fundamental questions of control and accountability in the age of advanced automation.