Politics
US lawmakers split on AI oversight as Sanders leads rally and Johnson rejects pause
September 16, 2026 at 01:00 AM · Updated 30d ago
Coverage
3 reports · over 2 hours
AJAl Jazeera English
US speaker rejects AI pause, warns of losing edge to China
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TGThe Guardian
Bernie Sanders and Steve Bannon call for curbs on AI at ‘pro-human’ summit
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BNBBC News
Watch: Sanders calls for US and China to work together in banning AI superintelligence
(opens the publisher’s site)Lawmakers staked opposing positions on AI oversight Tuesday as Bernie Sanders led a Washington rally for new restrictions and House Speaker Mike Johnson rejected a moratorium.
- Sanders led a "pro-human" rally in Washington DC, calling for new policies and safeguards to rein in AI development.
- Sanders warned AI could eliminate tens of millions of jobs, urged binding safety rules, and asked Trump to negotiate an AI pause treaty with Xi Jinping.
- Johnson rejected calls to pause AI development, saying a moratorium would give China an edge and that companies should self-regulate.
- Steve Bannon, who joined Sanders at the event, said the issue needed to transcend partisan politics.
- Sanders announced plans to introduce legislation banning artificial super-intelligence and pausing advanced AI development, with Representative Greg Casar as co-sponsor.
- Bannon advocated an immediate economic and technological quarantine of China's tech sector, drawing Cold War analogies against Beijing.
- Sanders cited Reagan and Gorbachev's nuclear treaty efforts, urging diplomatic engagement with China and criticizing Silicon Valley's concentration of wealth.