Former Trump White House adviser Steve Bannon and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) are set to join forces at a "Pro-Human Assembly" event on Tuesday, September 15, to advocate for human-controlled artificial intelligence. This unlikely alliance, which also includes former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon, highlights how concerns about AI are transcending traditional political divisions. The event is organized by the Future of Life Institute, a nonprofit advocacy group behind "The Pro-Human AI Declaration," which emphasizes protecting human agency, preventing power concentration, and holding AI companies accountable.
The diverse group of participants, including industry insiders, progressive figures, and leading MAGA voices, underscores the growing bipartisan anxiety surrounding AI's rapid development. Speakers at the event will also include American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, who stressed the importance of prioritizing safety alongside innovation. Megan Garcia, whose son died by suicide after interacting with a chatbot, will also speak, advocating for congressional action to protect children from AI and social media harms, and highlighting the issue's potential impact on midterm elections.
The event is expected to feature officials from across the political spectrum, with speakers such as Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Greg Casar (D-Texas), and New York Assemblymember Alex Bores. Cultural figures like actors Ashley Judd and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, along with religious leaders including San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone and the National Association of Evangelicals' Walter Kim, will also participate. This broad coalition reflects a shared concern that AI could lead to job losses, cybersecurity breaches, and other societal disruptions, with 80% of Americans favoring human control and strong oversight, according to a recent poll.
While their reasons for supporting stricter AI governance may differ, Sanders is actively pursuing federal legislation, the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act, which would impose a temporary pause on advanced AI development until safety rules are established by a federal regulator. Crucially, this legislation also proposes a permanent prohibition on developing and deploying artificial superintelligence. Bannon has endorsed the Pro-Human AI Declaration, which aligns with Sanders's proposal in opposing an uncontrolled superintelligence race and advocating for limits on concentrated technological power. This unusual collaboration suggests AI is becoming a central political issue capable of forging unexpected alliances, though whether these efforts will translate into significant public policy remains to be seen.
Recent polling data indicates strong public support for these measures, with 69% of likely U.S. voters supporting a ban on superintelligence until its safety is proven, 72% believing AI companies should be legally responsible for harms, and 73% advocating for stronger protections for children from manipulative AI systems.
