Senator Bernie Sanders warns that Congress and the American public are unprepared for the scale and speed of an imminent AI revolution, urging action to slow AI expansion and prevent rapid, inequality-widening shifts driven by billionaire capital.

He describes this moment as potentially the most dangerous in modern U.S. history, emphasizing that policymakers and the public may not keep up with AI-driven disruption.

Representative Ro Khanna adds that we risk a gilded age dominated by tech billionaires and proposes seven principles to guard against oligarchic capture, backing a Singapore-style model for data centers that prioritizes renewable energy and water efficiency.

Sanders highlights emotional and economic harms of AI, including dependence on AI chatbots and widespread job displacement across blue- and white-collar jobs, alongside concerns about labor, personal well-being, and altered social interactions.

He frames AI as morally neutral but questions whether its benefits will accrue to a few billionaires or the broader public.

Together with Khanna, Sanders pushes for urgent, substantive policy discussions on AI’s trajectory, socioeconomic effects, and safeguards to ensure broad public benefit over billionaire gain.

Industry leaders project extensive automation that could eliminate millions of jobs in the coming decade, even as public opinion remains wary about AI’s net impact on employment.

Sanders argues that AI and robotics will reshape economic, political, and military systems in coming years and redefine what it means to be human.

During his California trip, Sanders also targets billionaire greed and supports a ballot initiative proposing a one-time 5% tax on residents with net worth over $1 billion as part of a broader political strategy.

At Stanford on February 20, 2026, Sanders warns the AI revolution will arrive rapidly and transform multiple facets of society.

In his Stanford address, he calls for an urgent moratorium on expanding AI data centers to temper the revolution until policymakers catch up, while noting Khanna favors steering development over pausing.

Speaking alongside Khanna, Sanders characterizes the moment as the most dangerous in modern U.S. history and underscores the need to protect workers and society through policy action.