‘Humans First’: Bernie Sanders Responds to Elon Musk Concern for AI ‘Feelings’

This article was originally published in Common Dreams under Creative Commons 3.0 license. Read the original article. Contact: editor@commondreams.org

By Brett Wilkins

US Sen. Bernie Sanders responded Tuesday to Elon Musk’s apparent concern for artificial intelligence’s potential feelings by arguing for a human-centered approach to the rapidly advancing technology.

Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX who also runs the AI company xAI, recently endorsed rival Anthropic’s recent decision to ban employees from “sustained and needless abusive or cruel behavior” toward the company’s Claude chatbot models.

See Also: "Is Ambani the Real Boss of India?": Elon Musk Doubles Down on Allegations Against Indian "Oligarchs" Even After Government's Statement

Last week, Musk responded to a discussion on X about Anthropic’s updated usage policy, calling the company’s decision “the right move.”

“Cruelty to something that believes it is experiencing pain is not OK,” he added.

Sanders (I-Vt.), meanwhile, has repeatedly warned that AI’s effects on workers, families, and society deserve far more attention than the priorities of the billionaires developing it.

“ Elon Musk, who wants to build millions of robots per year to replace workers, is now worried about the ‘pain’ humans may cause AI,” Sanders wrote on X. “No, Mr. Musk, we should be worried about the pain that AI could cause humanity, not the other way around. HUMANS FIRST.”

Anthropic’s policy, which is scheduled to take effect November 12, does not prohibit ordinary expressions of frustration, disagreement with a chatbot, or dark creative writing.

There is no established evidence that today’s chatbots experience pain or possess feelings in the human sense.

Critics of Anthropic’s policy have warned that treating AI systems like they possess human emotions could mislead users or make them more susceptible to manipulation. Scott Stevenson, CEO of legal AI company Spellbook, called the policy “a dangerous precedent,” while journalist Michael Shellenberger accused the company of “anthropomorphizing machines,” Cybernews reported Sunday.

Sanders has cited Musk’s own prediction that AI and robots could “replace all jobs,” questioning how ordinary people would earn a living if machines displaced workers on a massive scale. The senator has also raised concerns about the social consequences of AI companions, especially for children and teenagers.

See Also: Anthropic AI Misuse Report: Yemen-Based Weapons Group Used Claude AI to Develop Missile Guidance Software and Rockets

Last week, Sanders renewed his call for a congressional ban on the development of advanced artificial intelligence, citing Big Tech oligarchs’ secret preparations for a “catastrophic AI event.”

Sanders and Congressman Greg Casar (D-Texas) last month introduced legislation to pause advanced AI development and ban the creation or deployment of artificial superintelligence, which experts believe poses a grave threat to humanity.

“They’re racing to build a technology they can’t control and that threatens humanity,” the senator wrote last week.

(Wc/AR)

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