From Newsweek · · 3m
When far left meets far right on AI, war and corporate power
Bernie Sanders and Steve Bannon shared a stage this week, part of a growing overlap between political extremes ahead of the midterms.
In brief
Bernie Sanders and Steve Bannon shared a stage this week, part of a growing overlap between political extremes ahead of the midterms. Political extremes are finding common ground on AI regulation, foreign wars, and corporate power, even as they propose different solutions. Originally reported by Newsweek.
Extremes meet in the middle
Bernie Sanders shared a stage with Steve Bannon this week at an AI event. Tucker Carlson is backing a Democrat over a Republican in Michigan's Senate race.
Sanders and Bannon unite on AI
The two spoke back-to-back Tuesday at the Pro-Human Assembly in Washington. Nearly 300 people attended the event organized by the Future of Life Institute.
Sanders wants to ban superintelligence
He'll introduce legislation next week to permanently ban artificial superintelligence. He compared it to nuclear weapons as a threat to humanity.
“Like nuclear weapons, artificial superintelligence is a threat to humanity, and it must be treated as such”
Bannon attacks AI executives
He accused AI companies of exploiting crisis talk to lock in market dominance. He called their arrogance overwhelming.
“All they're trying to do is to use a crisis and turn it to their advantage by creating a moat, a cartel”
Their solutions split fast
Sanders wants Trump and Xi to negotiate a treaty pausing AI development. Bannon wants all Chinese nationals removed from American labs.
Trump calls AI fears a hoax
He dismissed warnings that AI could destroy humanity, comparing the backlash to the Russia investigation. He said whoever wins AI wins everything.
“AI taking over the World, destroying Humanity, and all other things bad, is a HOAX.”
Voters worry about AI
An NBC poll found 70 percent more worried than excited about AI. Seventy percent said AI is costing jobs, including 78 percent of Democrats.
Data centers spark backlash
Sixty-one percent oppose new data centers locally. Campaigns spent over $45 million on ads mentioning them since January, with 99 percent attacking the projects.
AI enriches the few
NYU professor Gary Marcus says the public sees AI making a few people rich while dumping costs on everyone else. Jobs, environment and safety are all at risk.
Iran war splits MAGA
Tucker Carlson called the war with Iran disgusting and evil. Trump fired back, saying Tucker has lost his way and isn't MAGA.
“Tucker has lost his way. I knew that a long time ago, and he's not MAGA.”
Greene breaks with Trump
Marjorie Taylor Greene sided with Carlson and said Trump has gone mad waging war against Iran. She wrote that Trump changed, not them.
“We NEVER changed, Trump did”
Sanders blocks Israel arms sales
Forty of 47 Senate Democrats backed his April resolution to block a $295 million bulldozer sale to Israel. Both his resolutions failed against unanimous Republican opposition.
Massie and Khanna team up
Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie joined California Democrat Ro Khanna on an Iran war powers resolution. The measure failed 212 to 219 in March.
Shared anger, different answers
Analysts say both sides are furious about corporate power, rising costs and foreign wars. They land on different solutions but tap the same frustration.
Socialist policies poll well
Republican strategist Alex Patton says socialist policies test fairly well without the label. Progressive group Our Revolution found corporate corruption now ranks as members' top concern.
“They're done with a government that answers to corporations instead of to them.”
In short
Political extremes are finding common ground on AI regulation, foreign wars, and corporate power, even as they propose different solutions.
