Policy & Drama

The Leftist Split Over AI Doom

The left wants AI regulation. They just can't agree on what it should look like or how concerned they should be.

Get smart on it

The American left is divided over how to respond to warnings that artificial intelligence could pose existential dangers to humanity. Some leftists argue that focusing on theoretical future AI risks distracts from regulating the concrete harms the technology is already causing, such as exploitation and surveillance, while others believe it is possible to address both current harms and potential future dangers simultaneously. This split has been intensified by prominent left-wing politicians, most notably Senator Bernie Sanders, who have elevated AI safety concerns to their political agenda, creating unusual alliances and sparking criticism from some tech industry critics who view the doomsday framing as unhelpful. The core disagreement centers on whether emphasizing existential AI risks ultimately benefits the companies developing the technology by directing regulatory attention toward speculative future scenarios rather than established present-day problems.

The biggest AI stories, once a day

One short email a day with the stories that matter. Free. Unsubscribe with one click.

Relevant courses

Want to go deeper than the news? Explore live, cohort-based AI courses taught by practitioners.

Browse AI courses on Maven
Related news
Policy & DramaOpen story →

Nvidia is reportedly preparing to fire Jensen Huang

Nvidia's board is preparing to dismiss CEO Jensen Huang following a report from the New York Times about a second alleged extramarital affair, just days after he admitted to a separate affair with a woman alleged to be a Chinese spy, The Wall Street Journal reports. The second alleged affair was with an executive who reports to him, Nvidia's vice president of health care, Kimberly Powell, according to the Times, saying the two may have been captured on video "being affectionate

Also reported by TechCrunch

Policy & DramaOpen story →

Jensen Huang accused of having another affair, with an Nvidia exec

Jensen Huang, who has come under fire for admitting to an affair with a woman accused of being a Chinese intelligence agent, has been accused of having a separate affair with an Nvidia subordinate.

Policy & DramaOpen story →

The unfolding Jensen Huang scandal: a timeline

The affair could have ramifications for national security as the U.S. and China race to develop the most advanced AI infrastructure.

Policy & DramaOpen story →

Congress to call Jensen Huang in to answer for alleged Chinese spy affair

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has until the end of the day Wednesday to answer a call from House Republicans for a closed-door briefing on his affair with alleged Chinese spy.

Policy & DramaOpen story →

A 13-Year-Old Asked AI About Suicide on Her School Laptop. It Didn’t Get Flagged for Weeks

The young girl’s parents allege that she used Gemini via her school Chromebook to plan her suicide, but the school’s monitoring systems didn’t know until it was almost too late.

Policy & DramaOpen story →

Nvidia is investigating Jensen Huang’s relationship with a Chinese spy

Nvidia has announced that it is opening an investigation into CEO Jensen Huang and his relationship with Megaspeed executive Alice Huang, who was reportedly recruited by China's Ministry of State Security to spy on the company. A statement posted by the board of directors reads: The NVIDIA Board is initiating an independent investigation in light of recent reporting that founder and CEO Jensen Huang has been the target of a foreign intelligence effort. A committee of independe

Also reported by TechCrunch, Wired AI and Data Center Knowledge