Senator Bernie Sanders warned that the rapid development of artificial intelligence could lead to widespread automation of white-collar jobs within the next year and a half, describing the potential impact as “an economic earthquake.” In a social media post, Sanders cited comments from Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman, who stated that “most white-collar work will be fully automated by an AI within the next 12 to 18 months.” The senator called for a moratorium on new AI data centers to ensure the technology benefits workers rather than primarily enriching billionaires.
Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman says most white-collar work "will be fully automated by an AI within the next 12 to 18 months.”
— Sen. Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) February 13, 2026
If that’s true, it’s an economic earthquake.
We need a moratorium on new AI data centers to make sure AI works for workers, not just billionaires.
Sanders’ remarks followed Suleyman’s interview outlining the trajectory of AI development. Suleyman, who heads Microsoft’s AI division, highlighted the unprecedented growth in computing power and AI capabilities, noting that current models already outperform most human coders and can perform professional-level tasks across multiple industries. He projected that within 12 to 18 months, AI systems could undertake work currently done by lawyers, accountants, project managers, and other office professionals, fundamentally reshaping the workplace.
CEO of Microsoft AI Mustafa Suleyman joins FT editor Roula Khalaf to explain why most of the tasks accountants, lawyers and other professionals currently undertake will be fully automated by AI within the next 12 to 18 months https://t.co/yYKzS7NIOP pic.twitter.com/HvA6Q7KgIc
— Financial Times (@FT) February 12, 2026
During the discussion, Suleyman described the scale of AI investment as a “wave unlike anything anyone’s ever seen” and said Microsoft was building frontier foundation models aimed at achieving what he called “superintelligence.” These systems are expected to operate creatively and autonomously, learning and improving over time, and could perform complex organizational tasks at levels comparable to human teams.
Sanders placed these developments in a broader economic and social context, linking the concentration of AI and technology ownership to the growing influence of billionaires. He wrote, “We need a moratorium on new AI data centers to make sure AI works for workers, not just billionaires.” Sanders has repeatedly expressed concern over the outsized power of wealthy individuals in shaping information and economic systems, citing figures such as Elon Musk with X, Jeff Bezos with Twitch, Mark Zuckerberg with Instagram and Facebook, and Larry Ellison with TikTok’s U.S. operations.
When we talk about authoritarianism, it’s not just Donald Trump.
— Sen. Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) February 3, 2026
Musk owns X
Bezos owns Twitch
Zuckerberg owns Instagram and Facebook
Larry Ellison controls TikTok
Billionaires increasingly control what we see, hear and read.
The senator argued that this concentration of control over technology and information channels amplifies the risks of economic disruption and political influence. “When we talk about authoritarianism, it’s not just Donald Trump,” Sanders wrote. “Musk owns X, Bezos owns Twitch, Zuckerberg owns Instagram and Facebook, Larry Ellison controls TikTok. Billionaires increasingly control what we see, hear, and read.” He warned that unchecked, these trends could deepen economic inequality and limit public oversight over rapidly evolving technologies.
Sanders’ call for a pause on new AI infrastructure reflects a broader push to regulate the development and deployment of artificial intelligence, particularly in relation to labor markets and corporate power. By connecting automation risks with the influence of billionaire-controlled platforms, Sanders framed AI not only as a technological challenge but also as an economic and democratic one, emphasizing the need for public oversight and protections for workers in the face of transformative technological change.
By
By
