Bernie Sanders proposes 20 year prison sentence for AI devs who plow ahead with Artificial Superintelligence plans — penalty on par with illegally developing rogue nuclear weapons

Senators Bernie Sanders and Greg Cezar introduced the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act, aiming to halt advanced AI development. The legislation imposes severe penalties, up to 20 years in prison, for entities or developers who violate the bill's pauses and prohibitions. This sentence is considered equivalent in severity to those facing charges for creating a rogue nuclear weapon.

Recent discussions surrounding AI capabilities have raised grave concerns about the potential threat to humanity. Unexpectedly, AI industry leaders such as Sam Altman, Dario Amodei, and Elon Musk seem to concur with these concerns. The Sanders bill is considered the most extreme AI-related legislation to date, and it is likely to face significant opposition in Congress, particularly among Democrats and Republicans aligned with Trump.

However, recent statements from industry leaders appear to align with calls for slowing down AI development and increasing oversight/regulation, which could lead to political consensus. The bill proposes the establishment of a new cabinet-level federal agency to protect the public from AI dangers, including by enforcing a prohibition on artificial superintelligence.

Additionally, it aims to ban superintelligence worldwide through international agreements and allied coordination.