Leading progressives unveiled legislation Wednesday that would pause construction and upgrades of artificial intelligence data centers, highlighting an issue where voters are concerned and the Trump administration plans to back industry.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., released their draft bill, dubbed the Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act, which would condition building centers on the enactment of federal laws to regulate AI and associated energy costs and environmental effects.
The effort, while unlikely to advance under Republican control of Congress, still marks a sharp contrast to the Trump administration’s AI policy framework released last week. That document urged Congress to streamline permitting for data centers and avoid creating “open-ended” liability for AI firms, while curtailing state regulatory authority.
