# Sanders and Bannon unite on AI fears

> A rare left-right alliance is pushing Washington to slow AI before it reshapes jobs, power and public safety.
- Title: Sanders and Bannon unite on AI fears · Newsweek | Shortify
- Summary: A rare left-right alliance is pushing Washington to slow AI before it reshapes jobs, power and public safety. AI regulation is becoming a cross-party fight…
- Keywords: politics, jobs, regulation, data centers, Sanders, Bannon, unite, fears, Newsweek
- Source: Newsweek — https://newsweek.com/bernie-sanders-steve-bannon-ai-risks-bipartisan-warning-12447015
- Published: 2026-09-15T21:50:34+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: ai, politics, jobs, regulation, data centers
## An unlikely alliance
Bernie Sanders and Steve Bannon shared a Washington stage to demand aggressive limits on artificial intelligence. Their message was simple: slow it down before control is lost.
## Sanders warns of job loss
Sanders said unchecked AI could erase tens of millions of jobs and create threats humans may not be able to manage. He also raised fears about bioweapons and pandemics.

> catastrophic consequences
## Bannon calls for speed limits
Bannon called AI the defining issue of the moment and urged the U.S. to slow development. He said executive action may be needed because Congress moves too slowly.

> slow down the pace
## A shared stage matters
Their appearance at the Pro-Human Assembly showed how AI safety is scrambling partisan lines. Lawmakers, union leaders, researchers and celebrities joined the event.
## China looms over debate
Sanders urged President Trump to seek a pause with China. Bannon pushed for cutting China off from U.S.-made chips, treating AI as a national security contest.
## Public anxiety is rising
Polls cited at the event found broad worry about AI jobs, social harm and data center costs. One Reuters/Ipsos survey found 77 percent fear higher electricity bills.
## Data centers spark backlash
Communities are protesting new AI infrastructure over noise, light, energy use and bills. Sanders warned automation could wipe out nearly 100 million U.S. jobs within a decade.
## Congress is split
Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson argue AI firms can self-regulate. Other lawmakers, including Chip Roy, Lori Trahan and Greg Casar, want more oversight and new legal limits.
## State laws are contested
A Senate bill could block states from enforcing their own AI rules. Bannon opposes that move, saying local pressure is one of the few checks on tech industry power.
## Safety advocates widen the fight
Researchers, parents and actors warned that AI now touches public safety, labor and accountability. Stuart Russell spoke on keeping humans in charge as systems grow more capable.

> Keeping Humans in Charge
## The pressure is growing
Concrete action is uncertain, with Congress divided and the White House dismissing many warnings. Still, the coalition asking for AI guardrails now spans left, right and center.
## Key takeaway

AI regulation is becoming a cross-party fight because fears about jobs, energy costs, safety and China now cut across old political lines.