California Gov.Gavin Newsom on Friday signed an executive order intended to increase oversight of and safety measures regarding AI “before it’s too late.”Newsom, widely seen as a 2028 presidential hopeful, is the latest of a growing number of Democrats and potential White House contenders to call for stronger regulation of AI amid increasing concern nationally over how rapidly the technology is advancing.
Newsom’s order calls for a group of AI experts to meet and then, within two months, develop a plan for the state to strengthen its laws on AI safety and security.Specifically, Newsom’s order urges the expert group to consider among new regulations the creation of a “kill switch” — an emergency shutoff system — that would shut down any AI system in the event of a major problem.It also urged the group of experts to come up with bolstered laws that would require independent third-party organizations to develop comprehensive safety plans for AI companies and that AI companies embed those independent organizations on-site to conduct safety audits.In a statement released alongside the order Friday, Newsom said state action was crucial due to the federal government having ignored the issue.“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.We’re going to do this thoughtfully but with urgent velocity; the stakes are too high to wait or delay action.”Newsom has also raised the possibility of calling a special legislative session specifically to address AI concerns.President Donald Trump has called recent AI safety warnings a “hoax.”Newsom’s order comes amid rapid advances in the AI industry — including some that many experts in t...