Bernie Sanders proposes a ban on developing AI "superintelligence"

In short: Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Greg Casar introduced a bill that would ban developing AI “superintelligence” and set prison penalties for violations.

What happened

Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, and Rep. Greg Casar, a Democrat from Texas, introduced the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act. The bill would ban anyone from developing “artificial superintelligence.” The bill describes that kind of AI as something that could lead to the “destruction or disempowerment of humanity,” including by overthrowing the government.

The proposal includes serious penalties. Leaders at AI companies who keep developing artificial superintelligence could face up to 20 years in prison. The bill’s summary compares this punishment to penalties for illegally developing nuclear weapons.

The bill also goes further than a ban on the most extreme systems. It would pause development of some “advanced AI systems,” which it defines using a threshold tied to how much training data is used (training data is the large collection of text, images, or other information used to teach an AI, like study materials for a student). Development could resume only after a new, scientist-led Department of Artificial Intelligence is created to oversee this work. The agency would also be tasked with monitoring these “frontier” models and overseeing the removal of dangerous features, and it would supervise the destruction of any artificial superintelligence.

Why it matters

Even if you never use an AI tool, this proposal could affect what kinds of AI products can be built and how fast they arrive. It is like requiring a building permit before anyone can construct a very tall, risky structure, and adding criminal penalties if someone ignores the rules. The bill is also a sign that concerns about AI safety are moving from debate into concrete lawmaking.

Source: The Verge AI