Sen. Bernie Sanders is raising concerns about artificial intelligence, saying that if political leaders are able to send robot soldiers into conflicts instead of human troops, it could change how wars are fought and put global peace at risk.
“I think we are not all that far away from the development of robotic soldiers,” Sanders said in a recent interview with NBC News.
“Right now, politicians — at least sometimes — have to worry about loss of life when they decide to go to war. If you don’t have to worry about loss of life, and what you worry about is loss of robots, what does that mean for issues of war and peace globally? It’s a big issue.”
Tech Billionaires and Wealth Concentration
Sanders, an independent from Vermont, has long focused on wealth inequality.
But recently, he’s turned his attention to how artificial intelligence could deepen the power of billionaires and major tech companies while putting working Americans at risk.
“The top 1% of Americans own more wealth than the bottom 93%,” he said. “All of these zillionaires — the Musks, the Ellisons, the Bezoses, the Zuckerbergs — are investing hundreds and hundreds of billions of dollars into AI and robotics. What is the result of all that?”
According to Sanders, the result could be even more wealth and political power concentrated at the top, while democracy weakens and the standard of living for working people declines.
AI Threatens American Jobs
He also shared concerns about massive job losses. “Musk recently said that ‘AI and robots will replace all jobs. Working will be optional.’ But what the hell does that mean?” Sanders asked.
“If I’m a factory worker today, if I’m working in an office, how am I going to feed my family? How am I going to pay the rent? Who is talking about that?”
Sanders cited recent warnings from tech leaders like Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, who said AI could eliminate half of all entry-level white-collar jobs and raise unemployment by up to 20% in the next one to five years.
He’s pushing for more serious discussion around AI, calling it a shift that’s “a lot more profound” than previous tech revolutions and one that’s moving at record speed.
Social Impacts and Youth Isolation
Sanders is also worried about how AI affects social relationships, especially among young people.
“People are worried that right now, many young people, teenagers, are relying on companionship from AI rather than fellow human beings,” he said.
“If kids today have AI as their best friends, as the ‘people’ they relate to, where they spend most of their time rather than other human beings, what kind of change does that mean for humanity?”
Proposals for AI Regulation and Reform
To address some of these risks, Sanders has proposed policy ideas like a shorter workweek, increased employee ownership, and even a “robot tax” on large corporations to help workers displaced by automation.
He’s also suggested breaking up major AI companies. “When I talk about breaking these [companies] up, I mean creating a situation where this new technology is designed to benefit ordinary people, not just designed by a handful of billionaires to make them even richer.”
Warnings About Tech Power and Political Influence
Sanders is highly critical of wealthy donors and tech investors who are trying to block AI regulation.
He said they are pouring money into super PACs to protect their interests and influence elections.
“It almost takes you back to the 1700s and the monarchies throughout Europe,” he said.
“Some of these Big Tech guys think that they have a God-given right to rule the world, and the idea that a Congress or ordinary citizens might object to what they are doing, they see as something that is unacceptable.”
What Happened at the Georgetown Town Hall
On Nov. 19, Sanders joined Geoffrey Hinton, Nobel laureate and “Godfather of AI,” for a town hall at Georgetown University. The event was hosted by the Institute of Politics and Public Service and packed the historic Gaston Hall with students and faculty.
“This is an issue that is going to impact every one of your lives,” Sanders said, opening the conversation.
Hinton stressed how the AI revolution is different from past tech shifts. “If AI gets as smart as people — or smarter — any job they might do can be done by AI,” he said, pointing to call center jobs as early examples of rapid replacement.
Sanders focused on power and inequality: “Are these people staying up nights worrying about working-class people and low-income people? Probably not. They want even more wealth and they want even more power.”
During the Q&A, a student asked about deepfakes and misinformation. Hinton said long-term detection may not be reliable, suggesting the need for source-based “inoculation” and media literacy to help voters recognize fake content.
Sanders later asked how many students saw AI as a positive force; many raised their hands. But when asked how many were worried about it, nearly the entire room raised their hands.
He compared that to the fear he sees from working-class people across the country.
Dr. Hinton closed by saying society still has a chance to steer AI in a direction that serves people, but it will take political will and public understanding.
A Call for Urgent Public Debate
“There has been far, far, far too little discussion among the American people, in the media, and certainly in Congress about the implications of AI and robotics,” Sanders said.
“This issue needs enormous discussion, and I hope we can provoke some of it.”
He added, “The idea that a handful of multibillionaires can determine the future of humanity seems a little bit crazy to me.”
As AI advances quickly, Sanders says it’s time to put ordinary people at the center of the conversation, before it’s too late.
IMAGE CREDIT: “Bernie Sanders” by Gage Skidmore, via Flickr. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Image adjusted for layout.