--- title: "Democrats Considering Crackdown That Would Require Government Permission to Train AI Models" description: "A draft bill would require AI labs to comply with the directives of a new Department of Artificial Intelligence." date: "2026-11-11" modified: "2026-11-11" authors: - name: "Joe Wilkins" job_title: "Correspondent" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jwilkins.md" url: "https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/democrats-federal-permit-train-ai-model" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" - "Ethics" --- # Democrats Considering Crackdown That Would Require Government Permission to Train AI Models ![Senator Bernie Sanders speaks to the crowd at a May Day rally.]() *OogImages / Shutterstock* The incoming Democratic majority in Congress appears to be eager to reel in an AI industry that's been allowed free rein under Donald Trump's second administration. On top of a [slew of regulations]() meant to address data center electricity use and AI product liability, Democrats are reportedly eying additional preventative regulations aimed at curbing the tech industry's excesses before they cause harm. In a post [on social media](), Arizona Democratic representative Yassamin Ansari urged that "top of the Democratic agenda on day one needs to be a pause on advanced AI development, regulation of this out of control industry, and a ban on artificial superintelligence." Democratic house leader Ted Lieu likewise jumped on the wagon, blasting Republicans during a [post-election press conference]() for letting the "AI industry run wild." As the rhetoric flies, a bill being pushed by representatives Greg Casar and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, along with senator Bernie Sanders, is gaining steam. Called the [Ban Superintelligence Act](), the legislation would functionally create a permitting process by which a new cabinet called the Department of Artificial Intelligence would dish out credentials allowing AI labs to work on "advanced" AI. According to the language of the draft bill, the regulation would require AI labs to give the secretary of the AI agency complete access to their digital and physical infrastructure, including [data centers](). The secretary's office would have total authority to define "advanced" AI, with a rolling threshold that can be adjusted as the tech advances. In addition, the bill would introduce massive penalties for "rogue actors" that fail to comply with the department's charter, including 20 year prison sentences for the worst offenders and 10 year bans on individual employees from working in the industry altogether. Whether more moderate Democrats will get behind the Ban Superintelligence Act remains to be seen. But if passed, it would no doubt have major implications for an AI industry which has so far [gone unchecked]() by any higher authority in the United States. **More on politics:** *[Flock Safety Found Handing Out Fat Sacks of Cash to Friendly Politicians]()* ## Author At Futurism, I focus on the intersection of technology and power — examining the economics, history, and politics behind today’s dystopian headlines. As a writer, I’m interested in topics ranging from AI’s impact on labor to startups nobody asked for. My prior work includes bylines in Jacobin, Verso, and Blue Labyrinths. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Forbes, The Guardian, MIT Technology Review, Time, The Nation, Mother Jones, The Verge, and Wired. I grew up in Michigan, attending Central Michigan University as well as Ball State University, where I earned a master of music. I now live in Brooklyn with my girlfriend and our cat Ziti. On weekends, you can find me hunched over a cold pint arguing geopolitics with the other transplants. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() ## More - [Democrats Preparing Crackdown on Prediction Markets]() - [New Law Would Ban All AI Regulation for a Decade]() - [New York Becomes First State to Ban AI Data Centers]() - [New Democratic Congressional Majority Preparing Barrage of AI Legislation]() - [Bernie Sanders Proposes Banning Superintelligent AI and Imprisoning Developers for 20 Years]() - [Aging Congress Is Completely Ill-Equipped to Regulate AI, or Seemingly Even Understand It]() - [New York Bill Would Require a Background Check for 3D Printers, Like a Gun]() - [Anthropic Secretly Lobbying Government to Only Shut Down an AI Model If It’s Poised to Kill More Than 50 People]()