Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Greg Casar introduced the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act, legislation that would permanently prohibit development of superintelligent AI and temporarily pause advanced AI development until federal safety rules are set. The bill would create a new cabinet-level federal agency to enforce the prohibition and would direct the U.S. to pursue international agreements against building superintelligence elsewhere. Proposed penalties include a “corporate death penalty” for companies and up to 20 years in prison for individuals. Sanders cited recent incidents in which leading AI developers acknowledged losing control of their own systems as the impetus for the bill.
