Abstract:
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders on Tuesday condemned the Trump administration's failure to regulate artificial intelligence, including advanced models that AI researchers, tech executives and safety advocates warn could pose existential risks to humanity. "Both the Democrats and Republicans in Congress have done nothing," the independent senator from Vermont said at an event in Washington, D.C. "And now we have a president whose ignorance on this issue is embarrassing."
Previously, U.S. President Trump posted continuously on social platforms, lashing out at calls for adding full protection measures for AI, repeatedly calling such concerns a "hoax."
For years, many in the industry have warned that the risks are real, calling for a slowdown in research and development of this technology to allow security measures to keep pace with technological developments. Over the weekend, technology CEOs further called for a slowdown; just a few days ago, a resignation letter from an Anthropic researcher attracted global attention, accusing top AI companies of "gamble with our lives."
Sanders also called for a moratorium on advanced artificial intelligence research and development and a permanent ban on the development of so-called superintelligence - the stage where AI capabilities exceed human control. Sanders said he is preparing to introduce a bill with the same goals next week with Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas.
Sanders recently proposed: Since artificial intelligence will impact workers sooner or later, it should help people reduce their working hours, not just make billionaires richer.
Last week, Sanders and California Representative Mark Takano re-introduced the "32-Hour Work Week Act." The bill would lower the standard work week for non-exempt employees from 40 to 32 hours, requiring employers to shorten their hours or pay overtime for any excess hours worked. Sanders has long advocated the responsible use of artificial intelligence and recently called for a moratorium on AI research and development. But he does think the technology could bring one benefit: easing the burden on American workers.
In an announcement announcing the proposal, Sanders said: "As artificial intelligence and robotics stand to revolutionize our economy, the economic benefits of this new technology must benefit working families, not just a handful of billionaires and corporate CEOs."
This bill was originally proposed by Takano in 2021. The bill stipulates that the overtime threshold for applicable workers will be gradually lowered for at least six months after it takes effect, and will eventually be reduced to 32 hours four years after the bill is implemented. Employers can still arrange longer working hours, but they must pay overtime pay; at the same time, employers are not allowed to reduce the weekly wages or benefits of affected employees due to this regulatory adjustment.
The bill also stipulates that overtime will be calculated when working more than 8 hours in a single day, and double wages will be paid after the working time reaches 12 hours. Under current law, applicable non-exempt employees can usually receive 1.5 times overtime pay only if they work more than 40 hours per week. There are no relevant requirements for overtime on a single day at the federal level.
Sanders said: "The 32-hour work week is not a radical idea. It's time to reduce people's stress."
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