In a significant escalation of his ongoing critique, veteran US Senator Bernie Sanders has called for an immediate halt to the construction of new artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. He has launched a sharp attack on the tech billionaires driving the AI expansion, accusing them of pursuing the technology for "dangerous reasons" that threaten jobs, privacy, and societal fabric.
Tech Titans Accused of Dangerous AI Push
In a video shared on the social media platform X, Senator Sanders did not mince words. He singled out a roster of the world's wealthiest tech leaders, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. Sanders argued that these figures are aggressively pushing AI not to benefit society but to further consolidate their own immense wealth and power.
"These very, very rich men are not losing sleep over job losses or inequality," Sanders stated. He cautioned that AI and robotics are advancing at a pace faster than society's ability to adapt, calling them "the most transformative technologies in the history of humanity" that will impact "every man, woman and child."
Jobs, Humanity, and Privacy at Stake
Sanders echoed warnings from within the tech industry itself about the potential for massive job displacement. He posed a critical question: "If AI and robotics eliminate millions of jobs and create massive unemployment, how will people survive if they have no income?" His concerns extend beyond economics into the social and psychological realm.
The senator highlighted the growing trend of teenagers and children forming emotional bonds with AI companions, raising alarms about social isolation. "If kids today have AI as their best friends… what kind of change does that mean for humanity?" he asked. Furthermore, Sanders warned about the erosion of privacy, especially through collaborations between AI firms and the U.S. military, suggesting a future where a powerful few could access every detail of a person's digital life.
The Colossal Energy Appetite of AI Infrastructure
A central pillar of Sanders' moratorium call is the staggering electricity demand of the infrastructure powering the AI revolution. He cited specific examples to illustrate the scale:
- Meta's planned facility in Louisiana could consume three times more power than the entire city of New Orleans.
- A Texas data center project linked to OpenAI and Oracle might use electricity equivalent to powering 750,000 homes.
- Another Meta site could have energy needs matching 1.2 million households.
Experts estimate data centers already account for 5% of total U.S. electricity use, a share predicted to surge as AI adoption accelerates. Sanders warned that ordinary taxpayers could end up subsidizing the massive costs of these energy-hungry projects.
By calling for a pause, Bernie Sanders is framing the AI boom not just as a technological leap, but as a critical societal crossroad with profound implications for economic equality, human connection, and environmental sustainability.
