WASHINGTON: In a rare display of bipartisan unity, a coalition of US conservatives, progressives, labor unions, and faith organizations has issued a comprehensive declaration of principles aimed at ensuring humans remain in control of artificial intelligence.
The announcement on Wednesday marks a significant pushback against what the coalition describes as Silicon Valley’s reckless AI development.
The joint declaration outlines 34 principles across five key areas: keeping humans in charge, preventing concentration of power, protecting human experiences, safeguarding agency and liberty, and enforcing corporate accountability.
Max Tegmark, founder and chair of the Future of Life Institute, which coordinated the project, highlighted the urgent need for such measures. “AI has incredible potential to help humanity flourish like never before,” he said.
“But the current path is a race to replace humans, with a handful of extremely powerful companies openly aiming to create superintelligence that could replace every human job.”
We’re excited to launch the Pro-Human AI Declaration, laying out a more inspiring AI path than Silicon Valley’s dystopian race-to-replace. It has remarkably broad support, from Bannon to Bengio, from unions to faith groups, from parents to NatSec leaders. Please join our growing… pic.twitter.com/yZ1pA3G0Zf
— Max Tegmark (@tegmark) March 4, 2026
According to AFP, the initiative follows the 2023 open letter from the Future of Life Institute, which called for a six-month pause on advanced AI system training due to societal risks. That letter drew more than 30,000 signatures, including Elon Musk, who subsequently founded xAI and entered the AI race.
The coalition is notable for its breadth, spanning ideological divides. Signatories include the American Federation of Teachers, the progressive advocacy group Public Citizen, conservative media personalities Steve Bannon and Glenn Beck, and faith-based organizations such as the Congress of Christian Leaders and the G20 Interfaith Forum Association. Even the actors’ union SAG-AFTRA has endorsed the declaration.
Individual supporters include former presidential candidate Ralph Nader, Meredith Whittaker of the Signal Foundation, and AI researchers Stuart Russell and Yoshua Bengio. Among the specific proposals are a ban on legal personhood for AI systems, mandatory labeling of AI-generated content, and criminal liability for executives whose products cause serious harm.
The declaration coincides with the launch of an $8 million advertising campaign by the Future of Life Institute, titled “Protect What’s Human,” targeting voters in Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, and North Carolina — states already feeling AI’s economic impact, according to the institute.
Founded in 2014, the Future of Life Institute operates across the US and Europe, focusing on technological risks. Its advocacy has faced criticism from Silicon Valley leaders and the White House, who argue that such measures could hinder innovation and allow China to take the lead in AI development.
