Political opposites unite in Washington to rein in AI
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In a rare display of bipartisan unity, political figures Bernie Sanders and Steve Bannon joined forces at the Pro-Human Assembly in Washington to advocate for stricter government regulation of artificial intelligence. The coalition, which included religious leaders, artists, and parents, emphasized the need to halt unchecked AI development through measures such as data center construction freezes and executive orders. While Sanders proposed legislative pauses and Bannon demanded presidential action, President Trump dismissed these concerns as a hoax and threatened penalties against AI operators. Simultaneously, OpenAI signaled a shift in industry stance by backing the FRONTIER Act, the first federal bill mandating independent safety audits for major AI developers. This support marks the company's first endorsement of concrete federal mandates for third-party verification, aligning with previous voluntary commitments made by CEO Sam Altman. Despite this corporate move, significant disagreement remains regarding the specific path forward, with some lawmakers calling for outright bans on overly powerful systems. The event highlighted a growing consensus that immediate brakes are necessary, even as the White House continues to oppose regulatory interventions.
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