California governor orders AI 'kill switch' study to strengthen oversight

California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order on Friday directing a working group to propose measures within two months to strengthen AI safety and security laws in the state, including potential "kill switch" requirements for frontier models and independent third-party safety audits. The order aims to accelerate oversight of advanced AI systems, with Newsom stating the stakes are too high to delay action. It will also hasten implementation of two new state laws on AI oversight passed this year, including rules for third-party auditing, according to the governor's office. Newsom previously vetoed a major AI-safety bill in 2024, but has faced pressure after safety warnings from executives like OpenAI's Sam Altman and Anthropic's Dario Amodei, both based in California. Other Democratic governors, including Pennsylvania's Josh Shapiro, are also pushing for tougher safeguards, while smaller AI companies warn regulation could entrench top firms' dominance