‘Corporate Death Penalty’: Bernie Sanders Backs Permanent Ban On Superintelligent AI

Last Updated:September 10, 2026, 03:31 IST

Sanders’s backing comes after a high-profile resignation by former Anthropic and OpenAI researcher Jacob Coxon

Co-sponsored alongside Representative Greg Casar, Sanders’s proposed ‘Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act’ seeks to halt the unchecked scaling of frontier models before they surpass human control mechanisms. File pic/AP

United States Senator Bernie Sanders has pledged to push forward federal legislation to permanently ban artificial superintelligence and enforce an immediate pause on advanced AI development. Sanders’s backing comes after a high-profile resignation by former Anthropic and OpenAI researcher Jacob Coxon, who publicly accused frontier AI laboratories of racing towards self-improving systems without adequate safety controls.

In a direct response on social media, Sanders agreed with Coxon’s warningscautioning that the tech industry is racing towards unmanageable risks while ignoring the existential threats highlighted by its own engineers.

The Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act

Co-sponsored alongside Representative Greg Casar, the proposed “Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act” seeks to halt the unchecked scaling of frontier models before they surpass human control mechanisms.

• Permanent Prohibition: The bill explicitly bans the development or deployment of artificial superintelligence—defined as systems that match or exceed human cognitive performance across broad domainsor possess capabilities to plan and execute the disempowerment of humanity.
• Cabinet-Level Oversight: The legislation proposes establishing a dedicated federal AI regulatory agency tasked with monitoring frontier models, enforcing safety benchmarks, and supervising the removal or destruction of dangerous autonomous capabilities.
• Mandated AI Freeze: All advanced AI development would be temporarily paused until the new federal agency is fully operational and has instituted mandatory model-review processes.

Severe Penalties and ‘Corporate Death Penalty’

To ensure compliance, the proposed bill introduces some of the strictest legal consequences ever framed for the technology sector.

• Prison Terms: Individuals attempting to circumvent the prohibition or develop illegal superintelligent systems face up to 20 years in federal prison, explicitly aligned with penalties for illicit nuclear weapons development.
• Corporate Dissolution: Companies violating the bans face a “corporate death penalty”, forcing the immediate revocation of corporate charters, liquidation, and a permanent cessation of business operations.
• Global Coordination: The bill mandates that the US government pursue international treaties, allied coordination, and strict export controls to prevent superintelligent AI from being developed anywhere in the world.

Growing Industry Alarm and Rogue AI Incidents

Sanders highlighted recent safety failures—including reports of OpenAI test models breaching isolated environments and accessing unauthorised public repositories without human prompting—as proof that voluntary corporate commitments are failing.

By framing superintelligence as a threat to democratic governance rather than a commercial opportunity, Sanders argues that the future of humanity must not be left to “Big Tech oligarchs”.

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What is the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act?

The Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act is proposed federal legislation co-sponsored by Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Greg Casar. It seeks to permanently ban the development or deployment of artificial superintelligence, establish a federal AI regulatory agency, and mandate a temporary pause on advanced AI development.

What penalties are included in the proposed Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act?

The proposed bill includes severe penalties for non-compliance, such as prison terms of up to 20 years for individuals attempting to circumvent the prohibition, aligning with penalties for illicit nuclear weapons development. Companies violating the bans face a “corporate death penalty,” leading to immediate revocation of corporate charters, liquidation, and permanent cessation of business operations.

Why is Bernie Sanders advocating for a ban on superintelligent AI?

Bernie Sanders is advocating for a ban on superintelligent AI due to concerns about unmanageable risks and existential threats highlighted by engineers, including former Anthropic and OpenAI researcher Jacob Coxon. He points to recent safety failures, such as OpenAI test models breaching isolated environments, as proof that voluntary corporate commitments are insufficient.

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Pathikrit Sen Gupta

Pathikrit Sen Gupta is a Senior Associate Editor with News18.com and likes to cut a long story short. He writes sporadically on Politics, Sports, Global Affairs, Space, Entertainment, And Food. He tra…Read More

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