Elizabeth Warren backs pause on advanced AI development

Sen. Elizabeth Warren has thrown her weight behind a temporary halt on advanced artificial intelligence development, joining a coalition of Democrats who want federal safety rules in place before the most powerful AI systems move any further. Her office confirmed the position to Axios. The legislative push taking shape Warren’s endorsement aligns her with the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act, a bill introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Greg Casar in early September 2026. The legislation would prohibit the development of superintelligent AI and impose a pause on frontier models until new federal regulations are established. Warren has separately called for immediate passage of what she described as “bare bones” AI regulations. Her concerns center on potential job losses and the surging energy costs tied to the massive data centers that power cutting-edge AI systems. A September 2026 poll from Data for Progress found that 68% of likely US voters support pausing advanced AI development. That number cuts across party lines: 72% of Democrats, 70% of independents, and 63% of Republicans all favored slowing things down. Industry figures are saying the quiet part out loud Sam Alt...