TL;DR
Senator Bernie Sanders has called the current moment “the most dangerous in the modern history of this country,” urging a moratorium on AI data centre expansion to give policymakers time to respond. Speaking at Stanford University, he warned that Congress has “not a clue” about the scale of coming AI disruption.
A Call to Slow Down
Sanders, speaking alongside congressman Ro Khanna after meetings with senior leaders at major tech companies, pressed for urgent policy action. He cited projections that AI and robotics could eliminate tens of millions of jobs in the coming decade — from truck drivers to fast-food workers and many white-collar roles.
“The Congress and the American people are very unprepared for the tsunami that is coming,” Sanders said.
His concerns extend beyond employment. Sanders raised questions about emotional dependency on AI, referencing a DC restaurant that offered a Valentine’s Day special for people and their “AI buddies.” “What is the long-term impact if we lose work as an important part of our lives?” he asked.
A Different Approach from Silicon Valley
Khanna, a progressive Democrat representing Silicon Valley, stopped short of backing a moratorium but advocated for a “Singapore model” for data centre growth, emphasising renewable energy and water efficiency. He outlined seven principles to guard against “oligarchic capture” of AI wealth and warned of a “new gilded age” run by tech billionaires.
Public opinion data supports the concerns. A 2025 Pew survey found that 64% of Americans believe AI will lead to fewer jobs over the next 20 years, and just 17% expect a positive overall impact.
Looking Forward
While Sanders’s proposed moratorium is unlikely to gain traction in the current political environment, his intervention adds political weight to growing calls for AI governance frameworks. The question he posed at Stanford — “will a handful of billionaires benefit from it, or will the general public benefit?” — captures the central tension that policymakers worldwide are grappling with.