Shadowing Practice: Why Bernie Sanders wants to force AI companies to share their wealth - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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here in the Senate on Capitol Hill,
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here in the Senate on Capitol Hill,
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Senator Bernie Sanders has just announced plans to introduce a new bill
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that would give the government a direct ownership stake in the largest American AI companies.
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Senator Sanders is my source tonight,
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and thank you, Senator, for being here.
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We see what the president signed today.
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Regarding your legislation, can you explain how this would work if the federal government owned half of these AI companies?
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I think the concern all over the country about AI
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is that it is owned and directed by a handful of the wealthiest people in the world,
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Musk, Bezos, Zuckerberg, and those guys.
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And nobody believes that they have the welfare of the American people at heart.
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They want to get richer and even more powerful.
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So the question is, should we allow a handful of oligarchs to determine literally the future of humanity?
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AI is going to be the most transformational technology in the history of the world.
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So what my legislation will do are several major things.
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Number one, it says that because the foundation of AI is based on all human knowledge,
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all right, AI will absorb what this program is about.
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The five books that I read,
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all the poets, all the scientific work,
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that's what AI is about, okay?
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People who contribute to that deserve some of the wealth that is being created.
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More importantly, we cannot allow just a handful of oligarchs to determine the future.
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If we have 50 percent of public ownership of these companies,
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we can say no to ideas that will lead to mass unemployment,
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invasion of privacy, endangerment of children's health,
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or maybe even an existential threat to the planet if AI becomes independent of human.
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Why do you need to take control of them?
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Why can't you just regulate them,
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tax them as is currently?
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Well, for two reasons.
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Well, one, I think, Javi,
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this is, again, this is the most transformational technology in history,
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and it is based on human knowledge.
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So human beings deserve to be compensated for what they put into AI.
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Second of all, we need to determine the future.
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Can't just be a handful of billionaires.
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That's why.
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I mean, when you look at this in terms of how this works,
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some of these companies might just see this and say,
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if this legislation passes, I'm just going to move my company to another country.
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Well, that's the same.
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That's what they're saying in California about a wealth tax.
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I mean, that's a whole other- You would have deciding power here, the government would.
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Yeah, we think, I think,
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and I think most Americans agree,
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that the future of humanity should not be determined by a handful of the wealthiest people on earth.
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That the public in a democratic process should have input into the way the world is going to move.
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And also, you know, you talked about the American people deserving part of the profits from this,
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part of the money from this.
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The president has signed an executive order about creating a sovereign wealth fund for the United States.
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I mean, that's what you're suggesting here.
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The Trump administration also has equity now,
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equity stakes in, I think,
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more than 20 private companies.
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How is what you're doing different than what the president is doing?
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Well, it is radically different.
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And by the way, the idea of a sovereign wealth fund is not a radical idea.
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You know, Norway has a fund based on their oil revenue of over $2 trillion.
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But from the revenues.
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From their revenues.
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They don't have a controlling stake in the actual companies.
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Right, right.
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And Alaska, by the way,
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the state of Alaska, also has a sovereign wealth fund where they distribute money based on oil revenue as well.
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But oil is a natural resources,
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and so is human labor.
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All of the contributions that humanity has made into AI deserves to be compensated,
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and people deserve to get that wealth redistributed back to them.
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But is this an area where you see agreement with the president?
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Well, the president says a whole lot of stuff.
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I happen not to trust much of what he says.
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But I'm talking about sovereign wealth fund.
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The concept of a sovereign wealth fund is not a radical idea.
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It exists.
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I think there are at least 100 of them around the world.
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Again, bottom line is people have the foundation of AI is the knowledge that human beings have contributed.
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We deserve to be compensated.
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Second of all, we need to put breaks on AI when it leads to mass unemployment,
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endangering children's health, etc. You know,
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when you look at this,
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if this plan existed right now,
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if this legislation went through and passed,
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you know, what you have described,
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this technology that you've said is a threat to everything the American people hold dear,
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I believe was your exact quote.
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I mean, the president and Republican majorities would have deciding factors in these companies.
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That's true.
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But on the other hand, that is democracy.
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And I hope very much that President Trump and the Republicans will not be in power for that much longer.
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But at the end of the day,
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I'm just saying if it passed.
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Well, all right.
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So the question is, do we want Democratic control?
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Or do we want Mr. Musk and a handful of billionaires to make those decisions?
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I prefer the democracy where people still could have impact on Republicans, on Mr. Trump.
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You can't have that impact on the CEOs of these large corporations.
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Sam Altman is going to be in Washington.
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I believe tomorrow he's got meetings lined up.
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I know at the White House,
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I believe with some of your colleagues.
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Are you going to be meeting with him?
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Yeah.
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Oh, okay.
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And are you going to talk to him about your legislation?
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Who set that meeting up?
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He did.
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And do you think it was because of this? Who knows?
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What are you going to say to him?
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What am I going to say to him?
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I'll say to him tomorrow what I'll say to him. But,
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I mean, what we will discuss is the need for a moratorium
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so that we can have a democratic debate and discussion about the future of AI,
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talk about that.
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We will talk about the need for international cooperation so that we do not have a super intelligence,
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super AI created, which can escape human control.
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I'm just wondering what he's going to say when you,
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I mean, in your video announcing your legislation,
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you said the time has come to reclaim what has been stolen from us.
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Yes.
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Since AI is built on the collective knowledge of humanity,
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the wealth it generates must also benefit humanity,
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not just Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos.
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That's right.
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Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Ellison.
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You didn't name Sam Altman there,
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but I assume he's in that category.
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Put him in, yeah.
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I mean, how do you think he views you saying reclaim what was stolen from us?
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Well, I don't know how he will respond.
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That is my view.
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That is the foundation of AI.
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Your program is going to be part of AI.
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This discussion is part of AI.
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Do you think the people in the world who contributed,
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who created, in a sense,
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the knowledge that is AI deserve to be compensated?
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I do.
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You know, people might watch this
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and think that's a really radical idea in terms of the government having this ownership stake in this.
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But I mean, we haven't seen a ton of criticism from Republicans for the president taking these stakes
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that they've taken in more than 20 companies.
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I think, look, AI is so consequential and so transformational that I think the American people are sitting back and saying,
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wait a minute, we cannot just allow these guys to re-alter society.
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We have got to have some input in that.
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And you are seeing that,
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Caitlin, right now all over this country in terms of opposition to data centers.
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And I think clearly a significant part of that opposition is people don't want to pay higher electric bills.
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They're worried about the noise, the environmental impact.
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But I think in the back of people's minds saying,
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hey, are my kids going to be able to have any jobs?
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Is my daughter going to be hooked up to some AI bots in an emotional relationship?
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Are millions of jobs going to be wiped out?
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People are very worried about AI.
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They want some input into how it unfolds in the future.
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So Sam Altman will be on Capitol Hill tomorrow.
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You'll be meeting with him.
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We'll see what happens there.

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Why practice speaking with this video?

This video featuring Senator Bernie Sanders provides a unique opportunity to practice English speaking skills in a real-world context. Discussing complex issues such as AI ownership and wealth distribution, the speaker uses clear and articulate language that can help learners understand the nuances of political discourse. By engaging with this content, you can enhance your vocabulary, improve your comprehension of formal speech, and gain insight into important societal topics.

Utilizing the shadowing technique, you can repeat after the speaker to practice pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation. This method not only boosts your spoken English but also helps you absorb key phrases and expressions, making it a valuable form of English speaking practice. Incorporating this video into your learning routine allows you to connect language skills with current events, fostering a deeper understanding of both.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

In his address, Senator Sanders employs several key grammatical structures and expressions that are useful for English learners:

  • Conditionals: “If the federal government owned half of these AI companies…” This usage of conditional sentences helps express hypothetical situations and their potential outcomes, which is crucial for discussing policies.
  • Modal Verbs: “We cannot allow just a handful of oligarchs…” The use of modals like *cannot* emphasizes necessity and obligation, important for making strong arguments.
  • Present Tense for Current Events: “Senator Sanders has just announced plans…” Present tense forms create immediacy, helping learners to convey current information effectively.
  • Passive Voice: “The foundation of AI is based on all human knowledge.” Understanding passive structures aids in discussing actions where the doer is not the focus, a common element in formal English.

Incorporating these structures into your speaking practice can enhance your fluency and clarity, allowing you to express complex ideas confidently.

Common Pronunciation Traps

As you listen to Senator Sanders, pay attention to the following challenging words and pronunciation nuances that may require extra practice:

  • Transformational: The length and syllable stress in this word can be tricky; practice breaking it down: trans-form-a-tion-al.
  • Oligarchs: The beginning 'o' can be easily mispronounced; ensure you articulate it as *oh-li-garks*.
  • Existential: This word has multiple syllables and can blend together; focus on the division: ex-is-ten-tial.

These pronunciation tips, when combined with the shadow speech technique, can substantially improve your oral skills. By replicating the sounds and cadence of the speaker, you will not only enhance your pronunciation but also gain confidence in your speaking abilities. Remember, practice regularly with videos, and you'll find significant improvement in your English proficiency!

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

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