On Tuesday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called for a halt to new AI data center construction, warning that the rapid, billionaire-driven expansion of artificial intelligence is threatening jobs, democracy and public resources.
Sanders Says AI Boom Is Being Driven By Billionaires, Not Public Interest
In a video posted on X, Sanders said AI and robotics are moving faster than society can keep up.
“AI and Robotics are the most transformative technologies in the history of humanity,” Sanders said, warning they will affect “every man, woman and child” in the country.
He argued that figures such as Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA), SpaceX and xAI CEO Elon Musk, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) founder Jeff Bezos, Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) CEO Mark Zuckerberg, venture capitalist Peter Thiel and Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT) co-founder Bill Gates are pushing the technology for “more wealth and even more power,” not to protect working families.
Sanders questioned whether those leaders are concerned about the impact on workers, saying he does not believe “these very, very rich men” are losing sleep over job losses or inequality.
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Job Losses And Social Impact Fuel Sanders’ AI Concerns
The senator pointed to comments from tech executives themselves, noting that Musk has said AI and robots could replace all jobs, making work optional.
He also cited Gates’ warning that humans won’t be needed for most things and comments from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei suggesting AI could wipe out half of entry-level white-collar roles.
“If AI and robotics eliminate millions of jobs and create massive unemployment, how will people survive if they have no income?” Sanders asked, arguing Congress is not seriously addressing that question.
He also raised concerns about children becoming socially isolated and emotionally dependent on AI instead of real human relationships, calling that future deeply troubling.
Energy-Hungry Data Centers At Center Of Moratorium Push
Sanders’ call for a moratorium focuses on the data centers that power AI systems.
Last week, he said that Meta is planning a Louisiana facility that could use three times more electricity than New Orleans, with taxpayers ultimately footing the bill.
He also referenced a Texas project tied to OpenAI and Oracle Corp. (NYSE:ORCL) that could consume enough power for roughly 750,000 homes, while another Meta site could match the needs of 1.2 million households.
Experts say data centers already account for about 5% of U.S. electricity use, a figure projected to rise sharply as AI adoption accelerates.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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