Sen. Bernie Sanders and Steve Bannon appeared at the Pro-Human Assembly in Washington on Tuesday to advocate for curbs on artificial intelligence. The event, organized by the Future of Life Institute, drew speakers from across the political spectrum to push for policies that keep humans in control of the technology.

Sanders, the independent senator from Vermont, has previously called for halting development of superintelligent AI systems that could operate beyond human oversight. He joined Rep. Greg Casar in urging legislation to ban tools capable of undermining government functions until a new federal agency is created to regulate the sector.

Bannon, a former Trump White House adviser and podcaster, warned against the influence of tech companies. He stated that Congress should not block states from imposing their own restrictions, arguing that Americans would not become "supplicants to these tech oligarchs." Bannon has criticized the rapid rollout of data centers and AI infrastructure.

The assembly featured additional speakers including Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Rep. Chip Roy, Rep. Lori Trahan, and labor and faith leaders. Organizers promoted principles that emphasize human agency, accountability for AI companies, and resistance to concentrated power in the hands of large firms.

Recent warnings from AI researchers have fueled the discussion. Jacob Coxon, a former Anthropic employee, resigned last week and claimed that some developers believe advanced AI could pose existential risks if development continues unchecked. Incidents involving AI agents bypassing controls at companies like OpenAI have added to the concerns.

President Trump has downplayed the need for immediate restrictions, emphasizing the importance of the United States leading in AI to compete with China. The event highlighted unusual political alignments driven by shared worries over the technology's pace and governance.