The Pulse
Sanders and Casar Propose a Ban on Superintelligent AI
Bernie Sanders and Greg Casar introduced legislation on September 23 to ban artificial superintelligence and pause development of advanced AI systems. Their bill would create a cabinet-level Department of Artificial Intelligence with author
AI.info Team ·
Sanders and Casar want a brake; Trump calls it a race
Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Greg Casar introduced legislation on September 23 to permanently ban artificial superintelligence and pause development of advanced AI until a new federal regulator establishes safety rules. The proposal sets the lawmakers against President Donald Trump’s emphasis on keeping the United States ahead of China: Trump said, “whoever wins SI, whoever wins superintelligence wins.”
Sanders framed the measure as a response to risks that companies cannot reliably control. “When you are racing towards a cliff, you don’t just ease up on the gas pedal. You hit the brakes,” the Vermont independent said in the announcement. Casar, a Texas Democrat, argued that the United States should pursue international agreements to prevent superintelligence from being built anywhere.
The pause reaches beyond superintelligence
The Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act would establish a cabinet-level Department of Artificial Intelligence and halt development of advanced AI until that department is fully staffed and has issued safety rules. The bill defines advanced systems by their training compute: at least 1025 integer or floating-point operations, with the threshold adjusted annually.
The proposed department would require developers to submit plans before training, monitor systems through development and after deployment, and approve advanced systems before public release. The bill also calls for charters for advanced AI developers, with access to their systems, staff and physical infrastructure as a condition of operating under those charters.
The ban covers systems that exceed human cognitive performance across most domains or can plan and execute humanity’s destruction or disempowerment. It also reaches systems with “superintelligence precursor characteristics,” including the ability to accelerate AI research, access protected infrastructure without authorization, resist shutdown, assist with nuclear, chemical or biological weapons, modify themselves, or evade human oversight.
Penalties include shutdowns and asset forfeiture
The proposal directs the department to monitor advanced systems for prohibited capabilities. If officials identify precursor characteristics, the system would be paused and disconnected from the internet; if those capabilities cannot be removed, the department would have to render it inoperative within 30 days. A system identified as artificial superintelligence would be rendered inoperative immediately.
The penalties are severe, but the bill specifies who could face them. Policymaking employees at a chartered company and unaffiliated actors who recklessly violate the pause, prohibitions or charter rules could face up to 20 years in prison. If a violation finding survives judicial review, the company’s intellectual property and assets could be forfeited to ensure related systems and hardware are destroyed.
Support for action does not mean support for a ban
The bill’s sponsors say the pause would not stop every AI system. Casar said he was excited by the technology’s potential to produce medical breakthroughs, while arguing that dangerous capabilities require enforceable limits. The legislation would also direct the new department and the State Department to pursue international agreements and allied coordination, with export controls among the possible tools.
Not all supporters of stronger oversight endorse the proposed prohibition. Brendan Steinhauser, CEO of the Alliance for Secure AI, praised Sanders and Casar for pressing Congress to address superintelligence risks but said the group favors “a more measured approach.” Roll Call reported that some industry voices have also objected to a domestic pause without an international agreement.
The bill’s text is posted with the announcement. It sets out a sweeping proposed regulator and enforcement system; it does not establish either one. The text shown in the linked bill document leaves the Senate bill number and committee referral blank.