Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) escalated his push for stricter artificial intelligence regulation on Monday, warning that a small group of Big Tech billionaires should not determine the technology's societal impact without public oversight.

Sanders Warns of AI ‘Oligarchy’

"The most pressing issue of our time is oligarchy & the power of Big Tech billionaires over AI," Sanders wrote on X. He added, "We can’t allow a handful of greedy people to play God & determine the future of humanity—our economy, environment, democracy, privacy & more—without public input."

He concluded with a call to action: "CONGRESS MUST ACT."

The comments came days after Sanders and Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas) announced the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act, one of Congress' most aggressive AI proposals yet.

Sanders Wants Superintelligence Banned

The legislation would permanently prohibit the development and deployment of superintelligent AI while temporarily pausing advanced AI development until a federal regulator establishes safety standards.

It also calls for international agreements to prevent superintelligence from being developed globally. The proposal has drawn criticism from investors and technology policy advocates.

Pershing Square founder Bill Ackman argued that halting U.S. development could allow geopolitical rivals to reach superintelligence first.

Sanders’ AI Push Expands to Data Centers, Public Ownership

Sanders has pushed for a national data-center moratorium, later working with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) to put the idea into legislation. While initially facing resistance from Democrats, similar calls have since gained bipartisan support.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has halted new data-center approvals pending reviews of their water and power needs. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) now requires local approval for new projects.

In June, Sanders proposed giving the public ownership stakes in major AI labs, with the government having a say in deployment decisions. The idea echoes proposals from Anthropic and OpenAI.

Last week, Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ: NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang urged regulators to focus on real-world risks, saying, "Don’t regulate hypothetical theoretical harm, regulate actual and pragmatic harm."

Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: MSFT) co-founder Bill Gates said he would support a credible global plan to slow AI advances, though he acknowledged such a plan is unlikely.

The national average gasoline price in the US rose to $4.15 a gallon, marking the highest level ever recorded for the Labor Day weekend. This increase follows a weekly rise from $4.08 and a significant year-over-year jump from $3.20.

Political Fallout

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) criticized President Donald Trump’s policy toward Iran, arguing that the conflict is driving up fuel costs and straining household budgets. Sanders stated that the war has resulted in thousands of casualties while simultaneously damaging the economy.

"Not only has Trump’s illegal and disastrous war in Iran resulted in thousands of casualties, it is wreaking havoc on the economy," Sanders said in a post on X.

He emphasized the historical context of the current pricing: "The national average gas price has never been above $4 a gallon on Labor Day Weekend. Today, it’s $4.15."

Other Democratic lawmakers echoed these concerns. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) linked lower consumer costs to specific policy changes, calling for an end to the Iran war, a halt to tariffs, and a reversal of health care cuts. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) described the gas prices as "record high" and blamed the administration for starting a war with "zero plan and no way out."

Gov. JB Pritzker (D-Ill.) also weighed in, criticizing Vice President JD Vance over diesel prices reaching $5.82 a gallon. Pritzker mocked the administration’s messaging, stating it wants citizens to be thankful they have not been harmed further.

Market Context

According to AAA data, the national average price surged to $4.14 on Saturday, up from $4.08 a week earlier and $3.20 a year ago. The slight discrepancy between the $4.14 figure cited by AAA and the $4.15 figure cited by Sanders reflects real-time fluctuations in fuel pricing across different reporting timestamps.

GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan had previously suggested that national average gas prices could fall below $4 per gallon by Labor Day. He noted that WTI crude had dropped below $80 per barrel and some states were switching to winter gasoline earlier due to an EPA waiver.

However, De Haan warned that even if prices dipped below the $4 threshold, they would still represent the most expensive levels ever seen for this time of year. The uncertainty surrounding the Iran war and the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to impact global oil supplies.

What the Numbers Show

The year-over-year comparison reveals a sharp acceleration in fuel costs. With prices rising from $3.20 a year ago to $4.15 currently, consumers are facing a cost increase of approximately 30% in just twelve months. This divergence between the weekly change ($0.07) and the annual change ($0.95) highlights that the current pressure is driven by sustained structural factors rather than short-term volatility alone.