Elizabeth Warren backs pause on advanced AI development

Sen. Elizabeth Warren has endorsed a temporary halt on advanced artificial intelligence development, aligning with the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Greg Casar in early September 2026, her office confirmed to Axios. A September 2026 Data for Progress poll found 68% of likely US voters support pausing advanced AI development, including 72% of Democrats, 70% of independents, and 63% of Republicans. House Speaker Mike Johnson opposes the pause framework, arguing continued advancement is essential for US competitiveness.

Elizabeth Warren backs pause on advanced AI development The Massachusetts senator joins a growing Democratic push to hit the brakes on frontier AI systems, a position that once seemed politically unthinkable Sen. Elizabeth Warren has thrown her weight behind a temporary halt on advanced artificial intelligence development, joining a coalition of Democrats who want federal safety rules in place before the most powerful AI systems move any further. Her office confirmed the position to Axios. The legislative push taking shape Warren’s endorsement aligns her with the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act, a bill introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Greg Casar in early September 2026. The legislation would prohibit the development of superintelligent AI and impose a pause on frontier models until new federal regulations are established. Warren has separately called for immediate passage of what she described as “bare bones” AI regulations. Her concerns center on potential job losses and the surging energy costs tied to the massive data centers that power cutting-edge AI systems. A September 2026 poll from Data for Progress found that 68% of likely US voters support pausing advanced AI development. That number cuts across party lines: 72% of Democrats, 70% of independents, and 63% of Republicans all favored slowing things down. AI, tech, and the markets they move—in one daily briefing. Daily. Free. Join 34,000+ readers across crypto, finance, and policy. Industry figures are saying the quiet part out loud Sam Altman of OpenAI, Dario Amodei of Anthropic, and Elon Musk have all voiced support for slowing the pace of frontier AI development, citing safety concerns. The calls for restraint followed several high-profile resignations from major AI labs. Sanders has urged diplomatic discussions between President Trump and Chinese President Xi regarding mutual AI development freezes at an upcoming summit. House Speaker Mike Johnson has opposed the pause framework, arguing that continued advancement is essential for US competitiveness. Republican lawmakers have broadly echoed that position, expressing skepticism that new regulations are necessary. Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy https://cryptobriefing.com/editorial-policy/ .