Sanders warns that the danger of artificial intelligence may outweigh the danger of nuclear weapons and calls for binding international rules

During an interview with CBS, Sanders called for setting binding international rules to limit the development of this technology.

In response to a question about likening the risks of artificial intelligence to the development of nuclear weapons, Sanders said that anyone who works illegally to develop a nuclear weapon that could threaten humanity should be subject to punishment, adding that the same should apply to developing artificial intelligence systems that could pose a threat to humanity.

When asked if he equated the two dangers, Sanders replied: “No, I think the potential danger of artificial intelligence is probably greater than nuclear weapons.”

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The US Senator warned that artificial intelligence could lead to the elimination of tens of millions of jobs and the elimination of entire professions. He also warned of the possibility of technology getting out of human control and the repercussions that might result, which he described as “catastrophic.”

Sanders called on US President Donald Trump to negotiate with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their upcoming summit next week, with the aim of reaching a treaty that imposes a temporary halt to the development of artificial intelligence.

He said that senior officials of artificial intelligence companies, including Dario Amodei, Elon Musk, and Sam Altman, acknowledged the need to slow down the pace of technology development, but he considered that “not enough,” calling for a move from voluntary standards set by companies to “binding international safety rules.”

Sanders also pointed to the dangers of using artificial intelligence in the biological field, saying that the technology was used, according to what he said, for the first time to create new viruses, warning of the possibility of using it to develop biological weapons or cause a global pandemic.

Bannon: Slowing down development requires executive action

For his part, Steve Bannon, former chief strategist in the White House during Trump's first term, called for slowing down the pace of development of artificial intelligence, considering that understanding the nature of the ongoing developments must precede the transition to new stages of technology.

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During the same event, Bannon said that artificial intelligence represents “the defining issue of the modern era,” and praised Sanders’ presentation of the potential risks, calling on politicians from both the Republican and Democratic parties to overcome partisan divisions in dealing with the issue.

Bannon considered that legislative procedures in Congress may be slow compared to the speed of technology development, saying that dealing with the file “will require executive action.”

He also called for a complete halt to China's access to computer chips manufactured in the United States, as part of what he proposed regarding dealing with the risks associated with the development of artificial intelligence.

The convergence in the positions of Sanders and Bannon, despite their sharp political differences, comes at a time when calls are increasing within the United States to place controls on the development of artificial intelligence, amid controversy over the impact of technology on the labor market, biosecurity, control over advanced systems, and the role of major technology companies in determining the path of its development.