AI Data Center Moratorium Introduced by Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez

A pair of progressive lawmakers is moving forward with ambitions to block the development of new artificial intelligence infrastructure until safeguards are in place to protect Americans from the technology’s threats.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), two of the most prominent figures on the political left, will introduce new legislation Wednesday that would impose a moratorium on AI data centers.

The first-of-its-kind bill comes amid an AI technology boom and as Americans grapple with its benefits and risks. Tech giants from Microsoft Corp. to Alphabet Inc.‘s Google are investing billions of dollars into data center projects in a bid to meet the growing demands of the fiercely competitive market. Communities nationwide, meanwhile, have voiced concerns about the infrastructure’s impacts on consumer energy costs and water supply, along with broader effects on the environment and local economies.

The technology’s threats to civil rights and the workforce have also prompted public calls for regulators and policymakers to create new protections.

The progressive duo’s bill aims to pause construction of AI data centers “until strong national safeguards are in place to protect workers, consumers and communities, defend privacy and civil rights and ensure these technologies do not harm our environment,” Sanders’ office said.