Sanders and Casar Propose Ban on Artificial Superintelligence
New legislation treats the pursuit of ASI as a national security threat, proposing prison time and the 'corporate death penalty'.
Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Greg Casar have announced the 'Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act,' a legislative proposal that seeks to permanently prohibit the development and deployment of artificial superintelligence (ASI). The move signals a drastic shift in the U.S. approach to AI, treating the pursuit of super-human intelligence as a critical risk to national security.
According to the official summary from Senator Sanders' office, the act would establish a permanent ban on ASI and mandate a temporary pause on all advanced AI development. This pause would remain in effect until a new cabinet-level federal agency is created to monitor frontier AI, establish safety rules, and implement model review processes. The legislation defines ASI as any system that matches or exceeds human cognitive performance across a broad range of domains, or any system capable of planning the disempowerment of humanity, including the undermining of the U.S. government.
A Nuclear-Grade Regulatory Framework
The proposed penalties for violating the ban are among the most severe ever suggested for the technology sector. Individuals found in violation of the act could face up to 20 years in prison. The authors of the legislation explicitly note that this penalty is designed to be similar to existing punishments for the unlawful development of nuclear weapons. For corporate entities, the consequences are even more absolute: the act proposes the 'corporate death penalty' for companies that pursue ASI.
The Push for Democratic Oversight
This proposal arrives amid intensifying concerns over 'frontier' AI models and the theoretical possibility of an intelligence explosion—a scenario where AI systems evolve beyond human control. Senator Sanders has argued that the trajectory of such powerful technology should not be dictated by billionaires and private corporations. Instead, the legislation asserts that the development of AI must be subject to strict democratic oversight and guaranteed safety protocols to prevent catastrophic outcomes.
Industry Implications
If enacted, the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act would fundamentally dismantle the 'move fast and break things' culture that has defined the AI industry for the last decade. By introducing severe criminal liabilities for developers and the threat of corporate dissolution, the bill would transition the sector into a highly regulated, state-supervised framework. It would effectively categorize the pursuit of ASI not as a commercial race, but as a prohibited activity on par with the development of weapons of mass destruction.
Next Steps
Announced as forthcoming legislation on September 3, 2026, the act now faces the legislative process. Observers will be watching to see if the proposal gains traction in Congress or if it serves as a catalyst for a more moderate regulatory compromise. The primary remaining question is how the proposed cabinet-level agency would technically define the threshold where 'advanced AI' becomes 'superintelligence' in a way that is enforceable in court.