I think it’s pretty clear that he doesn’t have any idea what the issues with “AI” are. It’s about relevance and threat models:

His proposal for banning “superintelligence AI” isn’t going to do a lick of difference against data centres causing shortages of drinking water and droughts; or against pollution skyrocketing globally because suddenly it’s more important to keep the "AI"s running than keeping to the Paris accords.

Those are real things that will realistically happen very soon if we allow the tech companies to continue unchecked. A super smart “AI” destroying us… isn’t. It’s all hype designed to misdirect attention from the real issues.

If Sanders had called the techbros’ bluff, he’d have said “Nice Terminator fanfic, now let’s shut you guys down on factual issues, right now.”