Senator Bernie Sanders sounded the alarm over the rapid pace of artificial intelligence development, warning that most white-collar jobs could be fully automated within the next year and a half. In a post on social media, Sanders cited comments from Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman, who said that “most white-collar work will be fully automated by an AI within the next 12 to 18 months.” The senator described the development as “an economic earthquake” and called for a moratorium on new AI data centers to ensure that 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’ warning comes in the wake of Suleyman’s interview discussing the future of AI. Suleyman, who leads Microsoft’s AI division, outlined the unprecedented growth in computing power and AI capabilities, noting that current models already surpass most human coders and can perform professional-grade tasks across multiple sectors. He projected that within 12 to 18 months, AI systems could handle tasks currently performed by lawyers, accountants, project managers, and other office professionals, fundamentally altering the workplace landscape.
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 emphasized the scale of AI investment, describing it as a “wave unlike anything anyone’s ever seen,” and said Microsoft was developing its own frontier foundation models to achieve what he termed “superintelligence.” These systems are expected to be creative, autonomous, and capable of learning and improving over time, potentially performing complex organizational tasks at levels comparable to human teams.
Sanders framed these developments in broader economic and social terms, linking the concentration of AI and technology ownership to the growing influence of billionaires. In his post, he wrote, “We need a moratorium on new AI data centers to make sure AI works for workers, not just billionaires.” The senator has repeatedly raised concerns about the outsized power of wealthy individuals in shaping information and economic structures. He has cited many billionaires who control major platforms, including Elon Musk with X, Jeff Bezos with Twitch, Mark Zuckerberg with Instagram and Facebook, and Larry Ellison’s involvement in 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.
According to Sanders, this concentration of control over both 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 argued that unchecked, these developments could further entrench economic inequality and limit public oversight over rapidly evolving technologies.
Sanders’ call for a pause on new AI infrastructure reflects a broader policy push to regulate the development and deployment of artificial intelligence, particularly as it intersects with labor markets and the concentration of corporate power. By linking automation risks with the influence of billionaire owners of major technology 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 worker protections in the face of transformative technological change.
