Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) backed Pope Leo XIV’s warning about artificial-intelligence-generated art Sunday, arguing that human creativity is fundamental to life and should not be diminished by technology controlled by powerful companies.
Sanders Says Human Art Must Endure
“Pope Leo is right. Art is not some kind of superfluous luxury that can be eliminated from our lives. It is a crucial part of the human experience,” Sanders wrote in an X post on Sunday. “We cannot let Big Tech oligarchs destroy it.”
Pope Draws Line Between Humans, Machines
Leo told artists at the Vatican on Friday that “we urgently need to distinguish human art from what is produced by machines.” He said there is an “ontological difference” between human art and machine output because algorithms generate material through statistical calculations based on existing images and “lack the spark of the human.”
The pope said the Catholic Church wants to renew an alliance with artists and cultural institutions “for safeguarding what is human.” His remarks extend a broader focus on AI risks. Last week, Leo said experts’ concerns about the technology deserve serious attention and rejected suggestions that warnings about dangerous AI amount to “fake news.”
Sanders Pushes Broader AI Restrictions
Sanders has pursued a more restrictive policy approach. In March, he and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) proposed a federal moratorium on new AI data centers until Congress establishes safeguards covering safety, privacy, labor and environmental impacts. His office said the legislation would pause development while lawmakers create stronger national oversight.
Sanders later argued that opposition to rapid data-center expansion is gaining public support, after previously warning that AI companies could threaten jobs, privacy and the environment.
Last month, Sanders and Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas) introduced the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act, which would ban development and deployment of superintelligent AI while temporarily pausing advanced AI until a federal regulator establishes testing and safety rules.
Sanders has also called for an immediate pause in advanced AI development. Pope Leo, meanwhile, has focused on preserving human creativity and dignity while calling for greater scrutiny of AI.
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