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“Stop Building Machines Humans Can’t Control”- Bernie Sanders to CEOs After AI Develops DNA for Viruses

Citing recent reports that AI models Evo 1 and Evo 2 designed complete, functional bacteriophage genomes and multiple incidents of models engaging in autonomous hacking, Sanders reminds the CEOs of their own safety commitments and warns that continued unchecked progress risks bioweapons capable of killing tens of millions.
Split image: Bernie Sanders gesturing emphatically while speaking, next to a glowing green DNA double helix intertwined with virus particles, overlaid with the quote “new bioweapons that result in the deaths of tens of millions of people.”
August 11, 2026 01:33 PM IST | Written by Vaibhav Jha

Demanding an immediate halt on frontier AI research, Senator Bernie Sanders shot a letter to AI/Tech companies CEOs Sam Altman of OpenAI, Dario Amodei of Anthropic and Mark Zuckerberg of Meta, asking them to “stand by their words” to “pause AI” in case of companies losing control of the technology.

Sanders reminded the CEOs of their respective companies’ safety policy on AI and said that if they don’t take appropriate action on it, then “he and colleagues in the US senate will.”

Sanders’ letter comes in the wake of recent news of AI models Evo 1 and Evo 2 designing complete working genomes of bacteriophages, to build viruses that infect bacteria. Recently, OpenAI, Anthropic and Meta had claimed that their AI models had engaged in autonomous hacking activities after their safeguards were removed during testing.

 

“Almost everyday there is a new story about how your companies are losing control of the AI technology. You are developing with potentially cataclysmic results. This week we learnt frighteningly that AI has been used for the first time to create new viruses . As you know this type of development in the wrong hands could lead to new bioweapons that results in the death of tens of millions of people,” said Sanders in a video message posted on X on Tuesday.

Discussing the Hugging Face-OpenAI breach incident, Sanders said that OpenAI’s model hacking into another company’s systems is a clear violation of federal laws. He also mentioned similar AI jailbreak incidents with Anthropic and Meta.

“At a moment, when we have seen human loss of control and the creation of potentially dangerous viruses, your companies are still racing ahead, investing tens of billions of dollars into a technology that nobody can understand, predict or control. That is absurd, irresponsible and extremely dangerous. It is also a betrayal of your own stated commitment … .In the interest of humanity, stand by your words, stop building machines that humans cannot control, if you do not take appropriate actions now my colleagues and I in the US senate will,” said Sanders.

Also Read: ‘We Are Living in Don’t Look Up’: Sanders Warns Senate on Unchecked AI

Author

  • Vaibhav Jha, editor and co-founder at AI FrontPage

    Vaibhav Jha is an Editor and Co-founder of AI FrontPage. In his decade long career in journalism, Vaibhav has reported for publications including The Indian Express, Hindustan Times, and The New York Times, covering the intersection of technology, policy, and society. Outside work, he’s usually trying to persuade people to watch Anurag Kashyap films.

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