Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is scheduled to speak at a panel discussion on Capitol Hill alongside Xue Lan, a professor at Tsinghua University and chairman of the Ministry of Science and Technology-backed New Generation Artificial Intelligence Governance Professional Committee, and Zeng Yi, dean of the Beijing Institute of AI Safety and Governance.
The Wednesday event will focus on "AI existential risk and international cooperation," according to MIT's Max Tegmark, who is also scheduled to speak at the panel. Both Lan and Zeng are connected to Chinese government-backed AI governance bodies that have championed frameworks expanding China's role in writing global AI rules.
What the Left Is Saying
Sanders has argued that artificial intelligence poses significant risks to American workers, privacy, democracy, the environment, and potentially humanity itself. In March, Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., introduced the Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act, which would impose an immediate federal ban on new AI data center construction until Congress passes a broader regulatory framework.
"We should be asking questions about child safety, community impact, and economic displacement," Sanders has stated, according to his office. Zeng Yi has separately argued that China and the world need mandatory safety and ethics frameworks and more international cooperation on artificial intelligence. Zeng also helped develop UNESCO's Recommendation on the Ethics of AI, the first-ever global standard on AI ethics.
Sanders' supporters contend that concerns about Chinese competitiveness do not negate legitimate questions about AI's societal impacts, including job displacement and environmental costs from energy-intensive data centers.
What the Right Is Saying
Critics from across the political spectrum have questioned whether partnering with CCP-linked officials on AI governance is appropriate. Michael Sobolik, a China policy expert at the Hudson Institute, told Fox News: "What we shouldn't do is partner with foreign adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party in those discussions."
Rep. Pat Harrigan, R-N.C., highlighted Tsinghua University's ties to the Chinese Communist Party. "China is aggressively locking down their most powerful AI assets and shutting American companies out," Harrigan wrote on X. "Bernie Sanders wants to hand them a seat at the table to help decide how America handles the same technology."
Harrigan pointed to China's recent blocking of Meta's $2 billion deal to acquire Manus AI, noting that Beijing restricted founders from leaving the country during the review process. Conservative commentator Steve Guest posted on X: "It's a bit on the nose that communist Bernie Sanders is looking to the Chinese Communist Party for their 'leadership' on AI."
What the Numbers Show
China has accelerated its AI development efforts as U.S.-China tech competition intensifies. The blocked Meta-Manus deal, valued at $2 billion, represents one of several instances where Beijing has moved to restrict foreign acquisition of Chinese AI assets.
Sanders' proposed moratorium would affect data center construction nationwide. Industry groups have raised concerns about impacts on American competitiveness. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., called the moratorium proposal "idiocy" at an AI summit in Washington last month, warning it would give China an advantage in the AI race.
The Data Center Coalition, a pro-industry group, has argued that construction restrictions could risk "rationing access to digital services" and impair U.S. competitiveness. The Center for Data Innovation, a tech-policy think tank, has stated that proposals to halt data-center construction rely on "well-worn anxieties" that do not justify such measures.
The Bottom Line
The panel discussion comes as Congress debates how to balance AI innovation with safety concerns. Sanders' co-sponsorship of the data center moratorium places him at odds with many in his own party who worry about U.S. competitiveness against China.
Fox News Digital reached out to Sanders' office for comment but did not receive a response before publication. The event is scheduled to proceed as planned on Capitol Hill.