'Congress is way behind where it should be in understanding the nature of this revolution and its impacts': New bill from Bernie Sanders and AOC wants to try and pause US data center construction

Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have introduced the Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act, a legislative effort to temporarily halt the construction of new AI data centers and expansions of existing facilities in the United States. The lawmakers argue that Congress is lagging in its understanding of AI's societal impacts, and this pause is necessary to allow regulatory frameworks to catch up with the technology's rapid development. The bill aims to prevent what they see as unchecked influence from 'Big Tech' on the economy, democracy, and society at large.

The proposed moratorium would remain in effect until the federal government establishes comprehensive rules addressing several key concerns. These include potential mass job losses, the proliferation of surveillance and deepfakes, environmental impacts from massive electricity and water usage, and threats to privacy and civil rights. The sponsors cite warnings from tech leaders like Microsoft's Bill Gates and Google DeepMind's Demis Hassabis to bolster their case for a cautious approach, framing the pause as a necessary step to avoid a destructive global AI race.