Inside the Democratic resistance on AI

Progressive Democrats taking hardline positions against AI are getting louder. Five influential progressives are shaping a confrontational Democratic message on AI, distinguishing themselves from party centrists by openly challenging data centers and AI-linked political money. At the center is Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who has led the progressive anti-AI movement with proposals for: a moratorium on data centers, collaborating with China on AI safety, and protecting workers from AI-fueled displacement. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is going all in on the data center moratorium push, holding up jars of brown, polluted water during a recent congressional hearing. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), who is co-sponsoring that bill in the House to take super PAC money out of politics, caught the ire of Silicon Valley when he came out in favor of a wealth tax. Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner shared the stage with Sanders over Memorial Day weekend, where Sanders called out Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk and other tech giants. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has been key in shaping the Democratic playbook for 2028 and is now wading deeper into AI messaging. She recently proposed taxing AI companies and data centers.