Senator Bernie Sanders: I spoke to AI agent Claude

Running time: 9 minutes

I spoke to Anthropic’s AI agent Claude about AI collecting massive amounts of personal data and how that information is being used to violate our privacy rights.

What an AI agent says about the dangers of AI is shocking and should wake us up.

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Overview

In March 2026, Senator Bernie Sanders engaged in a widely viewed conversation with Claude, an AI agent developed by Anthropic, to discuss the risks of artificial intelligence, massive personal data collection, and privacy violations. The video, posted to his social media channels, highlighted how AI is used to build detailed profiles of Americans, often without their knowledge or informed consent. 

Here are the key points from the interaction and Bernie Sanders’ stance on AI:

• Conversation with Claude: Sanders asked Claude how personal data is used to violate privacy. Claude explained that companies collect data—including how long a user pauses on a webpage—to build detailed profiles, which are then used to predict behavior and charge different prices, a concept known as “surveillance pricing”.
• Purpose of Data Collection: When asked by Sanders why so much data is collected, Claude replied that it is for profit and manipulating consumer behavior.
• Political Manipulation: The AI explained that political campaigns use the same data infrastructure to persuade individuals with tailored messaging, raising concerns that AI threatens democracy.
• AI as “Profound Revolution”: Sanders has characterized AI and robotics as the beginning of the most profound technological revolution in history.
• “Pause” on Data Centers: Following meetings with tech leaders, Sanders warned that Congress is not prepared for the rapid advancement of AI. He has proposed a moratorium on building new AI data centers, arguing they strain the grid and that AI could eliminate millions of jobs.
• Focus on Workers’ Rights: Sanders has argued that AI development must be aimed at benefiting workers and society, not just increasing the wealth of a few billionaires. 

The conversation was part of a larger, ongoing effort by Sanders to warn about the “tsunami” of AI advancements and their impact on employment and human privacy.