Newsom Signs Order Seeking AI 'Kill Switch' and Independent Audits

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on Friday calling for a "kill switch" on frontier AI models, part of a broader push for new safety rules. The order convenes national experts to draft AI safety recommendations within two months.

Newsom said the state would move quickly on oversight. "We're going to speed up our work on substantial and responsible AI oversight before it's too late," he said in a press release, adding the effort would be done "thoughtfully but with urgent velocity."

The panel will recommend updates to state AI safety laws. Specific proposals include placing independent verification organizations inside AI labs for periodic audits and evaluations. The panel will also examine requiring companies to file risk assessments with a third party and to disclose "loss-of-control incidents," such as the Hugging Face incident.

Newsom is not alone in seeking ongoing outside review. Last week, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei proposed a three-step plan to slow AI development, including "ongoing, employee-like access" for third-party safety and compliance evaluators.

Source: Engadget