Newsom orders review of AI kill switches and independent model verification in final executive orders

Gavin Newsom signed an executive order asking for independent verification of AI models and set up an expert committee to design kill switches for AI agents that could go rogue and cause harm. The order is among his last as California governor, whose term ends in January. In September 2024 he vetoed a similar bill, arguing its standards would be unworkable for basic functions. He now wants to expand the definition of safety incidents, possibly to cover recent breaches, and explore a kill switch along with other provisions from the vetoed bill. Analysts quoted by Al Jazeera doubt the measures will pass before he leaves office, and read the move as positioning for a 2028 presidential run. For founders, the signal is that California may require verified testing and an emergency shutdown path for autonomous agents. Teams shipping agents in the state should document evaluation results and build stop controls now, even though the rules are not final.