Sen. Bernie Sanders is raising an urgent warning, this time targeting the rapid rise of technology. He believes this tech boom could seriously harm the U.S. economy and that Washington is unprepared.
The Vermont Independent opened up about the rapid growth of artificial intelligence and robotics. He warned that the country is heading toward an “economic disaster” where many jobs may disappear, entry-level positions become scarce, and wealth continues to concentrate among those who are already rich. Sanders noted that even leading tech figures have predicted a troubling future in which traditional jobs fade or vanish for many workers.
For Sanders, it represents an approaching jobs crisis and he directly addressed Congress, stating: “The concept of work itself, your job, may be obsolete” and he added, “That means mass unemployment.” He questioned whether Congress is tackling this issue. He believes young people will feel the impact first, especially those already having difficulty finding stable entry-level work. He painted a grim picture of a job market that could deteriorate further if machines take over jobs faster than the economy can adjust.
Sanders made it clear that he does not view new technology as fundamentally bad. He recognized that AI might offer significant advantages but his issue is about who benefits from the technology and profits as it grows. He sees the U.S. heading toward a situation where a small number of billionaires and tech leaders enjoy the rewards while workers must compete for fewer jobs, lower pay, and less power. Bernie argued that without action from lawmakers, the country risks suffering the worst of both worlds: great productivity gains alongside economic hardship for those without ownership of these technologies.
This is why Sanders is calling for a temporary “moratorium” on new data centers. He sees this as a necessary pause for lawmakers to establish rules, safeguards, and worker protections before the next wave of infrastructure is put in place. He believes data centers are important part of a system that could transform jobs, energy use, and corporate influence. He wants Congress to take time to create standards and ensure that technology is rolled out responsibly instead of allowing it to disrupt communities uncontrollably.
He also criticized the motivations of tech leaders, naming Elon Musk, Larry Ellison, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg, and suggesting that their interests are far removed from those of everyday workers. He targeted President Donald Trump, labeling him an “oligarch” who is “working with other oligarchs.” “Do you think he’s staying up nights worrying about the working class of this country? I don’t think so,” Sanders stated.
AI is already showing up at work, in schools, and on customer service lines. Companies are testing how far they can go, seeing how many jobs machines can absorb, how fast they can slash costs, and how much pushback they can survive. Sanders argues that people can already feel the shift, and that unease will only deepen as job listings dry up, automation spreads, and workers watch corporate profits climb while their own paychecks barely move.
The bet on AI hasn’t paid off for all the billionaires. Notably, Larry Elisson’s Oracle saw its stock plunge after a report revealed it spent $12 billion in quarterly capital expenditures, with the bulk of that going into data centers dedicated to OpenAI.
