Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Greg Casar introduce the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act, which would permanently ban development of artificial “superintelligence” in the United States. The legislation also seeks to halt or pause work on the most advanced AI systems and sets criminal penalties for violations.
Multiple outlets report that the bill includes up to 20 years in prison for those who develop or enable artificial superintelligence, framed in terms of capabilities that could harm or undermine humanity. Reporting also focuses on a proposed new federal structure to oversee advanced AI: outlets describe plans for a Department of Artificial Intelligence or a Cabinet-level secretary/agency with regulatory or monitoring authority. NBC and The Verge emphasize the jail penalty and the bill’s prohibition language, while PBS NewsHour, ABC News, and The Next Web also highlight the combination of a ban, a pause on advanced development, and a new federal oversight body. The Washington Times similarly describes a ban on self-improving systems that could escape human controls, alongside an expanded federal monitoring role.
