Newsom signs order on AI 'kill switch'

LOS ANGELES:

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Friday directing state officials to explore the feasibility of imposing a mandatory "kill switch" for the most advanced AI models.

Newsom, widely seen as a possible Democratic presidential contender in 2028, said he was making the move because US President Donald Trump was doing nothing on the issue.

The Republican president this week dismissed fears over AI as a hoax and is urging American AI companies to keep advancing in order to stay ahead of China in developing the novel technology.

California is home to Silicon Valley and the AI firms at the forefront of the sector.

"The federal government's abject failure to create any form of meaningful AI oversight or accountability should alarm every American, especially when AI CEOs themselves are begging for regulation," Newsom said in a statement.

"We're not waiting to act -- we're going to speed up our work on substantial and responsible AI oversight before it's too late."