Two US lawmakers, Senator Bernie Sanders and House Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, are pushing for a moratorium on new AI data centres in the US to ensure that the technology does not threaten the "future of humanity". The legislation would halt construction of data centres until national safeguards are introduced to protect workers' livelihoods, civil liberties, and the environment. The proposal comes amid a growing grassroots backlash over the rollout of these data centres, which consume large amounts of water and electricity. However, the bill faces an uphill battle in Congress, where Republicans control both the House of Representatives and the Senate.