Sanders Warns US Unprepared for ‘Tsunami’ of AI, Calls for Data Center Moratorium
Stanford, CA – Senator Bernie Sanders delivered a stark warning Friday about the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, asserting that Congress and the American public are woefully unprepared for the sweeping changes it will bring. Speaking at Stanford University alongside Congressman Ro Khanna, Sanders called for urgent policy action, including a potential moratorium on the expansion of AI data centers, to “slow this thing down” and allow policymakers to catch up.
“The Congress and the American people are very unprepared for the tsunami that is coming,” Sanders said, describing the current moment as “the most dangerous moment in the modern history of this country.”
Khanna, who represents Silicon Valley, echoed Sanders’s concerns, characterizing the current landscape as a “new gilded age” dominated by tech billionaires. He recounted conversations with industry leaders who, according to Khanna, view themselves as “heroic conquerors in a different era.”
The pair declined to name the specific tech executives they met with during Sanders’s visit to California, but Khanna confirmed they were “senior leaders” at “the most prominent tech companies.” He added, “I think it was important for both Senator Sanders to hear from tech leaders and tech leaders to hear from Senator Sanders, who represents and understands the concerns of so many working-class Americans.”
Sanders reiterated his call for a moratorium on the construction of new AI data centers, arguing it’s necessary to “slow down the revolution and protect workers” while lawmakers grapple with the implications of the technology.
While Khanna does not support a full moratorium, he has advocated for a more controlled approach to data center growth, proposing a “Singapore model” that prioritizes renewable energy and water efficiency. He outlined seven principles aimed at preventing “oligarchic capture and dominance” of the wealth generated by AI innovation, stating, “We must ask not what America can do for Silicon Valley, but what Silicon Valley must do for America.”
The event at Stanford capped a multi-day visit to California, a state Sanders won during the 2020 presidential primary and where he previously held rallies as part of his “Fight Oligarchy” tour. Earlier in the week, in Los Angeles, Sanders delivered a scathing critique of billionaire wealth and formally launched a campaign for a ballot initiative that would impose a 5% tax on residents with over $1 billion in assets – a proposal that has reportedly prompted some wealthy tech leaders to consider leaving the state.
At Stanford, Sanders broadened his focus to the potential impact of AI on not only the job market but also on personal wellbeing and human connection. He recounted a Valentine’s Day special offered by a Washington D.C. Restaurant for people and their “AI buddies,” eliciting laughter from the student audience.
“It may seem funny,” Sanders said, “but the truth is that a lot of people are becoming dependent upon AI for their emotional support. What is the long-term impact of that? What is the long-term impact if we lose work as an important part of our lives? What do we do with our lives?”
Sanders cited statements from industry leaders predicting widespread automation and referenced projections indicating that AI and robotics could eliminate tens of millions of jobs in the coming decade, affecting roles ranging from truck drivers to fast-food workers and white-collar positions.
Public concern about the impact of AI is growing. A 2025 Pew Research Center survey found that 64% of Americans believe AI will lead to fewer jobs over the next 20 years, while only 17% anticipate a positive impact on the United States over the same period.
While tech CEOs maintain that AI will drive productivity, innovation and new employment opportunities, critics like Sanders argue that the “unprecedented” speed and scale of these changes risk exacerbating inequality and leaving the public and policymakers unprepared to respond effectively.
Sanders urged his colleagues in Washington – and the public – to initiate a serious public debate about the future of work in the age of AI, and its broader implications for democracy and society. “AI and robotics are neither good nor bad,” he concluded. “The question is: will a handful of billionaires benefit from it, or will the general public benefit?”
