America's Far Left and Far Right Are Converging on Critical Midterm Issues
Politicians have long joked that if you go far enough to either extreme, left or right, you end up somewhere pretty similar.
Voters in the United States are becoming increasingly worried about artificial intelligence (AI), as the technology has begun to polarize the political landscape. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and conservative figure Steve Bannon appeared together at an event discussing the need for limits on AI, illustrating the convergence of the political extremes on this issue.
Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson has also taken up the cause, backing Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan's Senate race against Republican Mike Rogers. The war with Iran has only further pushed Carlson and others, like commentator Candace Owens and former Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, toward positions on Israel and foreign wars that are typically associated with the progressive left.
Despite remaining far apart on most other issues, the two political extremes have found common ground on AI. Sanders and Bannon addressed a joint audience of nearly 300 people at the Pro-Human Assembly, an event organized by the Future of Life Institute to keep humans in control of advanced AI. Sanders introduced legislation alongside Texas Representative Greg Casar to permanently ban the development of artificial superintelligence, a hypothetical form of AI that could outperform humans in nearly every cognitive task.
He criticized Congress for being "asleep at the wheel" and accused AI executives of exploiting their calls for a slowdown to gain market dominance. Bannon accused AI executives of creating a "cartel" and called for curbs on any exchange of chips, technology, or knowledge with China, even suggesting removing Chinese nationals from AI labs.
The issue of AI has become a central concern for voters, with 70% more concerned than excited about its implications. A recent NBC News Decision Desk poll found that 44% of Americans trust neither party to handle the issue, with 70% believing AI is costing jobs. Campaigns and outside groups have spent over $45 million on ads mentioning data centers and AI in recent races, with 99% of that spending attacking AI-related projects.
While some, like University of Massachusetts Amherst pollster Gary Marcus, see the backlash as a reflection of a public waking up to AI's potential to enrich a few while burdening the rest, others, like Trump, dismiss the warnings outright.
Written by urgent.news from Newsweek's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
