AI is advancing at a pace that's making some lawmakers uncomfortable. Now, Senator Bernie Sanders wants to put the brakes on the most powerful AI systems before they become too difficult for humans to control.

Sanders, an independent from Vermont, and Democratic Representative Greg Casar of Texas have introduced the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act of 2026, a sweeping proposal that would permanently prohibit the development of artificial superintelligence in the United States.

But the legislation goes further than banning a hypothetical future technology. It would also temporarily halt development of certain advanced AI models, establish an entirely new federal department to oversee AI and impose serious penalties on those who break the rules.

Those penalties could include up to 20 years in prison for certain individuals responsible for violations.

The bill was introduced in September and remains in committee. It hasn't become law, but it offers a look at how some lawmakers want to change the direction of AI development.

Sanders argues that AI development has reached a point where government oversight is no longer optional.

"When you are racing towards a cliff, you don't just ease up on the gas pedal. You hit the brakes," Sanders said in his September 23 announcement.

The concern is that companies developing advanced AI could eventually create systems with capabilities they don't fully understand or control. Supporters point to warnings from AI researchers and industry leaders about the potential dangers of increasingly autonomous systems.

The bill also calls for international agreements designed to prevent artificial superintelligence from being developed outside the United States.

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