Senator Bernie Sanders has renewed his call for a shorter workweek, arguing that the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence should be used to improve quality of life for workers rather than displace them. In recent public appearances, including an interview on the Joe Rogan Experience, Sanders said rising productivity driven by new technologies should translate into fewer working hours and more personal time.
Sanders pointed to his proposed Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act, first introduced last year, which would require employers to pay overtime for any hours worked beyond 32 per week. He argued that advances in AI and automation are already boosting output across sectors, and said workers should benefit directly from those gains rather than face job losses or longer hours. According to Sanders, a reduced workweek phased in over four years would give businesses time to adjust while allowing families more time for rest, education or personal commitments.
He framed the issue as a fundamental question of who stands to gain from technological progress. While some industries have embraced discussions about shorter workweeks, others warn of the difficulty of applying those models to sectors heavily shaped by automation and market pressures. Still, Sanders said that as AI becomes embedded in everyday economic activity, there is a unique opportunity to rethink long-established norms about working life.
Alongside his proposals for labour reform, Sanders has voiced deep concern about the risks posed by artificial intelligence, particularly in military applications. In an interview with NBC News, he warned that the development of autonomous or semi-autonomous robotic soldiers could transform decisions about war. He said political leaders currently must consider the potential loss of human life when authorising military action, but suggested that if future conflicts relied primarily on robots, the moral and political barriers could be weakened. Such a shift, he argued, could alter global security in unpredictable and dangerous ways.