Gavin Newsom is pushing for an AI kill switch

California Governor Gavin Newsom has issued an executive order positioning the state as a leader in AI oversight. The order directs a panel of experts to recommend, within two months, how to strengthen AI safety measures in state law. Key proposals include requiring AI companies to embed independent verifiers on-site for audits, standardize transparency reports and risk assessments, and implement a verified "kill switch" for frontier models. It also mandates reporting "loss-of-control incidents" as critical safety events. Newsom is framing this as a model for federal action, criticizing the federal government's lack of oversight and urging Congress and President Trump to adopt California's framework. This move comes amid heightened concern over AI risks, following warnings from researchers, and contrasts with current political inaction in Washington.

(Source：The Verge)