California Governor Newsom signs executive order demanding "kill switch" for AI models

Sep 18, 2026

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order to speed up independent oversight of AI companies and push for a "kill switch" for AI models. The order responds to recent incidents like the Hugging Face attack. An expert panel has two months to deliver recommendations, including a requirement for AI companies to embed independent auditors directly inside their labs. The proposal already came from the AI labs themselves as part of a broader call to slow research and development.

Newsom sharply criticized his rival Donald Trump, who accused the labs of fearmongering. No federal law requires AI companies to report dangerous incidents, Newsom pointed out. California has already passed laws covering AI safety, child protection, deepfakes, data privacy, and cybersecurity, he says. Newsom is calling on Congress to adopt that framework as a national baseline. Beyond the labs themselves, a group of 42 mathematicians has also warned about the risks of advanced AI systems that could evolve rapidly in the near future.

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