U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (버니 샌더스) urged Congress not to delay legislation any longer, saying support in the United States for artificial intelligence safety regulation is overwhelming.

On May 20, blockchain outlet BeInCrypto reported that Sanders recently wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that Congress should listen to Americans rather than only the claims of billionaire big tech companies. He again stressed the need for AI regulation.

Sanders framed the current AI debate as a clash between the public and big tech. He argued that the focus of regulation should be voters' views, not technology companies, as AI is spreading too fast and concerns about safety are growing.

He cited recent opinion polls. In surveys by Semafor and Gallup, 70 percent of Americans said AI is advancing too quickly, and 97 percent said AI safety regulation is needed. Another 77 percent were found to worry that AI could eliminate industries across the economy.

In a separate Politico survey, 44 percent of respondents said AI is developing too fast, and about two-thirds supported stronger regulation or the introduction of broader guidelines.

The remarks also tie in with renewed attention to an "AI Data Center Moratorium" bill that Sanders pursued in March with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Sanders described the bill at the time as a "reasonable pause" and argued that the pace of AI development should be temporarily slowed to put social safety measures in place. He said, "We cannot allow a handful of billionaire big tech oligarchs to determine the economy, democracy and the future of humanity," adding, "Now is the time to act."

But divisions within the Democratic Party over how strong regulation should be are also clear. Senator John Fetterman criticised the bill as a step "that benefits China," and Senator Mark Warner also called it "a foolish thing" at an Axios event. The concern is that excessive regulation could weaken U.S. technological competitiveness and leave it behind in AI competition with China.

Market and public reactions are also fuelling the debate over AI regulation. The outlet said there have recently been cases where audiences booed when speakers mentioned AI at some university graduation ceremonies. It has been interpreted as a sign that anxiety about job replacement and industrial restructuring is spreading more than technological optimism.

Ultimately, the AI debate in the U.S. Congress is seen as expanding beyond simple technology regulation into an issue where industrial policy, public sentiment and U.S.-China competition for technological hegemony collide at the same time. Sanders' side is stressing safety regulation and democratic control, but opponents are emphasising the need to maintain U.S. technological superiority.

The focus of future discussions is expected to be on how to reduce AI risks while also balancing concerns about weakening U.S. industrial competitiveness.