US lawmakers propose sweeping AI restrictions with superintelligence ban
News Source
β’Wed, 23 Sep 2026 19:29:28 +0000
π° What Happened
US Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Greg Casar have introduced a new bill. It would place sweeping limits on the artificial intelligence industry. One key part would ban building artificial superintelligence.
The bill runs nearly 20 pages. It would pause work on advanced AI until a safety regulator exists. It would create a cabinet-level Department of Artificial Intelligence to watch over frontier models.
Breaking the superintelligence ban could mean 20 years in prison. That matches punishments for people who build nuclear weapons. Companies that break the rules could lose their property and ideas.
π The Backstory
The bill comes weeks after top AI researchers warned the technology could wipe out humanity within a decade. Some industry insiders have quit their jobs to talk about the danger.
In September, former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon resigned in a viral post. He said people building AI truly fear it could kill us all. Trump also told the UN he would rename artificial intelligence "super intelligence" in US documents.
Experts say the bill is unlikely to pass. Alex Turner, who left Google DeepMind, called it "courageous" but said one definition of superintelligence is too broad.
π― Why It Matters
AI is improving fast while rules lag behind. This bill shows some US leaders want firm limits before very powerful systems are built.
US Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Greg Casar have introduced a new bill. It would place sweeping limits on the artificial intelligence industry. One key part would ban building artificial superintelligence.
The bill runs nearly 20 pages. It would pause work on advanced AI until a safety regulator exists. It would create a cabinet-level Department of Artificial Intelligence to watch over frontier models.
Breaking the superintelligence ban could mean 20 years in prison. That matches punishments for people who build nuclear weapons. Companies that break the rules could lose their property and ideas.
The bill comes weeks after top AI researchers warned the technology could wipe out humanity within a decade. Some industry insiders have quit their jobs to talk about the danger.
In September, former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon resigned in a viral post. He said people building AI truly fear it could kill us all. Trump also told the UN he would rename artificial intelligence "super intelligence" in US documents.
Experts say the bill is unlikely to pass. Alex Turner, who left Google DeepMind, called it "courageous" but said one definition of superintelligence is too broad.
AI is improving fast while rules lag behind. This bill shows some US leaders want firm limits before very powerful systems are built.