Congress Faces Mounting Demand to Rein in Corporate-Controlled AI
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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer calls for urgent classified briefing on AI policy, as bipartisan legislation and upcoming meetings highlight the need for democratic oversight over powerful tech corporations and their unchecked artificial-intelligence ambitions.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has sounded the alarm, urging the Trump administration to immediately brief all senators on the government’s plans for regulating artificial intelligence—a technology increasingly dominated by profit-driven corporations with little regard for public welfare. 'Warning bells are ringing louder than they ever have,' Schumer declared, highlighting the urgent need for transparency and democratic control over AI development.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, meanwhile, announced plans to meet with executives from leading AI companies later this week, signaling the continued coziness between lawmakers and Big Tech. 'It will be soon,' Johnson told reporters, as if the public should trust backroom deals between politicians and corporate elites.
This call to action comes after an Anthropic researcher resigned in protest, warning that unchecked AI could pose existential risks to humanity. The resignation has finally prompted both Democratic and Republican lawmakers to consider stricter oversight, though the legislative calendar—compressed by the upcoming midterm elections—threatens to delay meaningful action. The House is set to adjourn after only a few days, and the Senate will recess on Oct. 2, raising questions about Congress’s willingness to prioritize the public interest over corporate profits.
Johnson, in a recent interview, parroted the tech industry’s talking points, insisting that the private sector should lead AI safety efforts and warning that swift congressional action could harm the U.S. in competition with China. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump dismissed legitimate concerns about AI and data centers as a 'sick conspiracy,' reducing complex issues to jingoistic slogans like, 'Whoever wins AI, wins!'
The House is scheduled to vote on the Ratepayer Protection Act, a bipartisan bill that would require state utility regulators to ensure that data centers—often owned by wealthy tech giants—cover the full incremental cost of electricity-grid upgrades, rather than passing those costs onto working families. The bill passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously in July, with Rep. Brett Guthrie describing it as a way for data centers to 'pay their own way,' though true accountability for Big Tech remains elusive.
The debate over AI safety is drawing voices from across the political spectrum, with Senator Bernie Sanders and former White House aide Steve Bannon set to speak at a 'pro-human' AI forum on Sept. 15. The event, which will also feature Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Rep. Chip Roy, and Rep. Greg Casar, underscores the growing recognition that unchecked technological power threatens democracy, workers’ rights, and the public good.