California orders AI firms to build 'kill switch' for frontier models

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Friday urging the federal government to take a more active role in regulating artificial intelligence, citing the Trump administration's failure to protect Americans as AI advances. The order calls for stricter oversight of AI developers and mandates that companies create a "kill switch" for their frontier models to prevent them from going rogue. Newsom emphasized the need for urgent, thoughtful action, stating the stakes are too high to delay. Newsom, a likely 2028 presidential contender, framed the move as a proactive step, saying California will accelerate its work on responsible AI oversight. The order marks a state-level push amid ongoing federal inaction on AI regulation.