California governor signs order pushing for an AI 'kill switch'

SACRAMENTO - California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Friday that he said would “dramatically accelerate” artificial intelligence safety measures, including potentially requiring companies to develop a “kill switch,” or emergency shutoff, for advanced AI models.

The governor’s executive order would convene a group of experts to provide, within two months, a guide for how California should strengthen its AI security laws. The proposals include requiring regular audits of AI labs, mandating the reporting of “loss-of-control” incidents in which AI agents behave unexpectedly, and advancing the creation of a kill switch for the most advanced AI models.

The order follows warnings from leading tech executives that AI is advancing too rapidly and that the industry should coordinate a slowdown to ensure the technology can be kept under control.

The American public has also become more concerned about AI: The overwhelming majority of U.S. adults — about 71 percent — believe that the technology will lead to fewer jobs in the next 20 years, according to a poll released Thursday by Pew Research Center.

More than half of those surveyed said they were more concerned than excited about the rise of AI in daily life, while 9 percent said they felt the opposite, according to the poll. In particular, concerns about AI have risen sharply among young adults in the U.S. since 2024. (Source: The Washington Post)