Bipartisan Senate bill aims to impose AI safety safeguards amid growing alarm

After a departing Anthropic researcher warned that AI development might pose lethal threats by the end of the decade, a bipartisan effort in the Senate is moving forward. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Ted Cruz and Majority Leader John Thune are collaborating on a safety bill that could be introduced as early as next week, aiming to establish commonsense guardrails before 2027. The draft, still confidential, is being reviewed by Hill staff and AI labs.

Meanwhile, progressive voices like Bernie Sanders plan to introduce legislation banning superintelligence and to convene a bipartisan briefing, while Rep. Ro Khanna has outlined a five-step plan for certification, liability and a new agency. OpenAI’s chief global affairs officer Chris Lehane said the company wants to help shape national AI safety rules, emphasizing the need for swift action.