On Monday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called for international cooperation on artificial intelligence safety, arguing that existential AI risks outweigh geopolitical rivalries even as investor Kevin O'Leary warned that involving China could jeopardize U.S. national security and technological leadership.
Sanders argued that warnings from leading scientists and AI experts about the dangers of uncontrolled AI demand urgent global coordination.
"If the world's leading scientists say there's even a 10% chance humanity could be destroyed because of uncontrolled AI, shouldn't we do everything possible to prevent it?" Sanders said in a social media post.
He added, "This isn't about competition with China. It's about coming together to prevent what might be a catastrophe."
In a related video, Sanders stressed that even a relatively small chance of catastrophic outcomes should force policymakers to act aggressively.
O'Leary Warns China's Role Could Undermine US AI Leadership
Last week, O'Leary criticized Sanders' Capitol Hill AI safety forum, particularly its inclusion of Chinese researchers in discussions about future AI governance.
The "Shark Tank" investor argued that China's rapid expansion in power generation and data center infrastructure is directly tied to both economic and military ambitions.
"China is our adversary," O'Leary said. "We can't let the Chinese beat us in AI."
He dismissed Sanders' global cooperation strategy as dangerously naive, saying the senator was "way offside."
AI Safety Vs AI Arms Race
The dispute underscores a growing divide in AI policy between those prioritizing existential safety concerns and those focused on preserving national competitiveness.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has similarly warned that giving China influence over U.S. AI policymaking could weaken America's competitive edge.
Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen had also previously expressed skepticism about Sanders' AI safety forum.
US-China AI Policy Divide Widens
The U.S. has largely favored a pro-innovation, market-driven approach to AI oversight, while China has pursued stricter state-led regulation to accelerate advances in AI and semiconductor technologies.
At the 2025 AI Action Summit in Paris, both the U.S. and the U.K. chose not to sign an international AI safety declaration.
By contrast, nearly 60 nations — including China, India and Germany — backed the nonbinding accord, which called for artificial intelligence systems that are "safe, secure and trustworthy."
