Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Greg Casar have introduced a bill banning the development of artificial superintelligence. In the description of the initiative, such technology is characterized as capable of leading to the destruction or deprivation of humanity's autonomy, including the overthrow of the government.
According to the description presented by The Verge AI, violation of the law could subject AI executives to up to 20 years in prison. The initiative is titled the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act.
The significance of this news lies in the attempt to establish a criminal ban on the development of a specific class of AI, rather than merely introducing safety requirements. However, available materials are limited to a synopsis of the publication: they do not include the text of the bill, information on support for the initiative, or details regarding further procedures.
editorial commentary
Why it matters
The likely consequence is an intensification of political debates over whether the most powerful AI systems should be regulated through a criminal ban. The next observable signal will be the publication of the full text of the initiative and its progression in Congress. Significant uncertainty remains due to the absence of the primary document, information on support for the bill, and details regarding the definition of superintelligence.