The Vision for AI Regulation
Senator Bernie Sanders, the 84-year-old progressive from Vermont, has long warned that concentrated wealth threatens American democracy. Now, he is betting that frustration with Big Tech, billionaires, and unchecked artificial intelligence is reaching a tipping point. Since 2023, Sanders has advocated for firm regulation of AI. In March 2026, he and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez proposed legislation to halt data center construction until a series of safeguards are implemented. In June 2026, Sanders announced the AI Sovereign Wealth Fund, a plan to tax AI’s richest companies and distribute direct payments to American citizens.
How the Sovereign Wealth Fund Would Work
The fund has two main components. First, it mandates that the public own half of AI industries, meaning that half of the board members will be public representatives. This ensures that if AI proposals lead to massive unemployment or endanger privacy, the public can veto them. Second, half of the increase in revenue and wealth created by AI would go to the people. The fund applies to any company with $200 million or more in revenue—the larger ones pay in. Sanders argues that AI is built on human knowledge and work, yet writers, scientists, and others who contributed to its foundation receive no compensation.
“AI is the most consequential, transformational technology in the history of humanity, and it’s being pushed by guys who could care less, just wanna get richer and more powerful.” – Bernie Sanders
The Deficit of Urgency in Congress
Sanders expressed dismay at the lack of legislative action on AI. “As of this date, as of today, there’s not been one significant piece of legislation dealing with AI,” he said. He believes members of Congress are not stupid but frightened of the massive campaign spending that would follow any effort to regulate. “You start talking about it, you come up with logical ideas as to how we go forward, the AI industry’s gonna go after you. They’re gonna spend, in this midterm election, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars.”
The Impact on Jobs and Society
Sanders warns that AI will eliminate millions of jobs, citing the 6–8 million truck, cab, Uber, and Lyft drivers who could be replaced by driverless vehicles already operating in Texas. He questions where 50-year-old truck drivers will find new jobs. Beyond employment, AI threatens privacy and mental health—children are committing suicide at the advice of bots, and deepfakes are becoming dangerously sophisticated. Sanders noted that a deepfake of him could put words in his mouth that most people wouldn’t recognize as fake.
Power, Oligarchy, and the Path Forward
Sanders sees a direct link between oligarchy and authoritarianism. He pointed out that Trump’s first foreign visit in his second term was to Saudi Arabia, a dictatorship run by the wealthiest family on Earth. He criticized the use of China as a boogeyman to justify unchecked AI development, saying he held a town meeting with Chinese scientists who share the same concerns as Americans. On the question of holding trillionaires accountable, Sanders said, “It almost calls up a revolutionary situation.”
Grassroots Optimism
Despite the overwhelming power of oligarchs, Sanders remains optimistic. He sees beautiful young people getting involved politically, trade unionists winning congressional races in Montana, and data centers being stopped by local opposition. He urges Americans to look at their history: the Revolution, the abolitionists, the civil rights movement, the Great Depression, and World War II – all moments when the country came together against seemingly insurmountable odds. “I am not giving up on this country,” he said. “I think we can turn it around, and I think our worst days are not ahead of us. They’re behind us.”