Sanders to push superintelligence ban as AI safety bill gains steam

The push for AI safety legislation in the U.S. Senate is moving on two tracks. A bipartisan bill backed by behind-the-scenes consensus could be introduced as early as next week, according to the publisher excerpt. At the same time, progressive lawmakers are staking out more aggressive positions. Sen. Bernie Sanders is planning a bill that would ban superintelligence and pause AI development, and he will convene experts for a bipartisan briefing next week following recent AI security incidents. Rep. Ro Khanna posted his own five-step plan on X, calling for certification of new models, liability and criminal penalties for companies, and a new federal agency.

OpenAI is also weighing in. Chris Lehane, the company's chief global affairs officer, wrote in a Wednesday blog post that OpenAI wants to work with Congress on national AI safety regulation, citing "a new chapter in AI capabilities" and pointing to its own models and research. He noted that several "serious" AI frontier safety proposals are circulating in Congress and said it needs to act before it adjourns, adding: "The AI policy window is open, for now. We intend to use it."

The coming weeks will show whether the bipartisan consensus behind the Senate bill can hold against progressive demands for a tougher approach. The test is whether Congress acts before it adjourns, as Lehane urged. For AI companies, the shape of any final bill — particularly whether it includes certification, liability, or criminal penalties — remains the key unknown.