Sanders Sounds the Alarm on AI and Worker Displacement
Bernie Sanders isn’t mincing words when it comes to artificial intelligence. In a recent interview on *The Joe Rogan Experience*, the Vermont senator didn’t hold back, arguing that corporate leaders “couldn’t care less” about the millions of workers who might soon find themselves replaced by AI and robotics.
The conversation stretched over two hours, touching on everything from automation to the growing power of tech billionaires. Sanders warned that without major reforms, the coming wave of technological change could leave ordinary Americans behind—while CEOs rake in the profits.
“Here’s what I worry about,” he said. “Artificial intelligence will displace millions of workers. People will be thrown out on the streets.” His tone was blunt, almost weary. “The corporate guys running these companies couldn’t care less. Robotics will run many factories in America. These are issues we’ve got to address—in a bold way.”
A Familiar Warning, But Louder
This isn’t the first time Sanders has raised the alarm. Back in April, during a CNN town hall, he pointed to Elon Musk’s cuts at the Department of Government Efficiency as a preview of what’s coming. “If this is how they treat public sector employees, imagine what they’ll do to private sector workers,” he said.
He’s careful to clarify that he’s not anti-technology. “I’m not against technology—it can offer real benefits,” he admitted. “But it must serve working people, not just billionaires like Musk.”
So what’s his solution? Some of it sounds like classic Sanders: guaranteed education, universal healthcare, a higher federal minimum wage. But he also floated newer ideas, like cutting the workweek to 32 hours—four days instead of five—to spread jobs around rather than laying people off.
AI Friends and a Crisis of Meaning
At one point, Sanders took a swipe at the idea of AI companions, like the ones Mark Zuckerberg and others have pitched as a solution to loneliness. “Others, Zuckerberg, you know, are talking about: if you’re lonely, we got a machine for you… We got a friend for you on AI and her name is Mary and you can chat with her 20 hours a day, and she really loves you,” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
It’s a bleak vision—one where machines pretend to care while real human connections fray. Sanders isn’t buying it. “All I would say at this moment: The answer is not to fall in love with your AI creature,” he said.
But beneath the dark humor, there’s a real fear. Experts have warned that mass job losses could lead to more than just economic pain—it might leave people adrift, searching for purpose. Sanders seems to think the answer lies in taking power back from the handful of CEOs driving these changes.
“We’re not going to let a handful of CEOs make these decisions—the American people’ll make them,” he insisted. Whether that’s realistic or not, well, that’s another question. For now, Sanders is making sure the warning isn’t ignored.
