Lawmakers sound alarm on AI dangers after Anthropic researchers’ warning

Lawmakers from both political parties expressed concern on Wednesday after several current and former researchers at the artificial intelligence company Anthropic issued stark warnings about this developing technology.

Jacob Coxon, a former researcher for both Anthropic and OpenAI, announced on Wednesday he had resigned from Anthropic and accused both AI firms of “gambling with our lives.”

“The people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade,” Coxon wrote on social media .

“This is not a marketing stunt,” he continued. “If anything, many executives and senior researchers will couch their phrasing in the press to sound sensible – but I hear the same people express fear privately. No other human activity poses this level of danger.”

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) responded to Coxon’s post as evidence that it was “time to pump the brakes & take action NOW” on AI.

The Democratic senator called on Congress in a social media post to implement mandatory safeguards, a comprehensive testing regime and “urgent dialogue with China.”

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) called on Congress to convene a special session on AI. The GOP lawmaker noted the technology’s potential uses for solving healthcare and food production issues but noted that the legislature’s “first priority is protecting ALL Americans.”

“We MUST be ready,” she wrote on social media . “This is happening whether or not we want it to.”

Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), who has introduced several bills to require more safeguards for this technology, said legislative action on this issue has been “moving too slowly.”

He criticized House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) decision to adjourn the House two weeks earlier than planned, saying this shortened legislative period will leave “the topic completely unaddressed before November at the earliest.”

“Doing nothing on AI is unacceptable and dangerous,” Beyer wrote on social media .

“At a minimum we should be holding hearings, getting answers from the companies involved about these incidents, and passing those bills that are ready ASAP,” the Democrat continued. “I hope warnings like these will help my colleagues understand how important it is to take broad action on AI regulation, and to do it swiftly.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) responded to Coxon’s post on Wednesday, touting his plans to introduce new legislation to ban AI superintelligence.

“Mr. Coxon is right,” Sanders wrote on social media . “The very people building this technology admit that it could threaten the future of humanity. That is why I will soon be introducing legislation to ban superintelligence and pause AI development.”

Texas Rep. Greg Casar (D), who jointly announced a House version of this proposed ban, also raised alarm over these new warnings from AI researchers.

“This is an emergency,” Casar wrote on social media . “Congress must convene hearings and pass my and Bernie’s superintelligence ban.”