In his last few executive orders signed as California governor, Gavin Newsom, whose final term ends in January, issued one asking for independent verification of artificial intelligence models and set up an expert committee to create kill switches for AI agents that could go rogue and cause harm. In 2024, Newsom vetoed a bill, passed in the state assembly, asking for similar requirements that the governor has now called for in his executive order. Newsom said at the time that it would amount to "thwarting the promise of this technology". "He is in a lame duck period here," says Alex Hanna, director of research at the Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR), unsure that the measures will pass in the remainder of his term. "He is setting up his next thing."

The Microsoft president said AI could be both a'tool and a weapon' that should be regulated urgently. The Microsoft president said AI could be both a'tool and a weapon' that should be regulated urgently. Brad Smith adds to calls for tougher rules for AI, including'kill switches' and legal obligation to victims of rogue agents Artificial intelligence is less regulated than milk and washing machines, the president of Microsoft has said, as the tech industry warns over the safety of AI. Brad Smith said there should be more safety rules to govern the technology including a legal obligation to a "victim" if their system was breached by rogue AI agents. He told the BBC: "Right now, your washing machine is subject to more safety rules than AI. Every carton of milk that you see in the grocery store is subject to safety rules and inspection."

In response to the emerging threat of rogue and shadow AI agents, here's how the newly formed Blueprint Alliance seeks to help businesses secure their systems against anomalous AI activity. David Berlind is one of the founding editors of ZDNET and is an award-winning tech journalist. Okta, AWS, Google Cloud, Salesforce, and others form an AI agent security coalition. The Alliance offers a blueprint for companies seeking visibility, control, and governance of agents. AI agents need the equivalent of a kill switch to expeditiously terminate suspicious behavior.

Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more Mashable Selects Look Up Say More Safety Net Versus Creator Playbook In My Bag Trending Now Back to School Good Connection: Uplifting stories for a digital age Switch Off All Series Bypass content restrictions and protect your data with a high-quality VPN. Because incognito mode isn't going to cut it. Joseph Green is the Global Shopping Editor for Mashable. He covers VPNs, headphones, fitness gear, dating sites, streaming, and shopping events like Black Friday and Prime Day. Matt Ford is a freelance contributor to Mashable. All products featured here are independently selected by our editors and writers. If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission.

VPN auto-connect, kill switch and protocol settings help protect travelers switching between airport Wi-Fi, hotel Wi-Fi and cellular data on the go.

Versus Say More Look Up Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more Mashable Selects Creator Playbook In My Bag Trending Now Back to School Good Connection: Uplifting stories for a digital age Switch Off Mashable Voices All Series Is an AI'kill switch' a real thing? Newsom's new executive order pushes for an AI kill switch. Chase joined Mashable's Social Good team in 2020, covering online stories about digital activism, climate justice, accessibility, and media representation. Calls for AI regulation gain momentum as the industry itself urges a slow down. As concerns about AI's capabilities reach a critical mass, California Gov. Gavin Newsom is accelerating the state's plan to curb the development of the technology.

Things to Do in L.A. Tap to enable a layout that focuses on the article. Newsom creates panel on AI safety regulation, suggests possible'kill switch' California Gov. Gavin Newsom created a panel to develop safety regulations for artificial intelligence companies. This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here . See more from the L.A. Times in Google Search.

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President Donald Trump has played down concerns expressed by industry leaders about the misuse of artificial intelligence. President Donald Trump has played down concerns expressed by industry leaders about the misuse of artificial intelligence. President has dismissed anxieties over AI's dangerous potential even as Democrats and some Republicans acknowledge risks Donald Trump is facing a rare backlash from the US Congress as Democrats and some Republicans push for guardrails on the world's most powerful AI companies. Concerns over the dangerous potential of AI reached fever pitch this week after tech leaders sounded the alarm over the rapid advancement of the technology and its potential threat to humanity. Trump dismissed the anxieties on Monday, describing them as a "HOAX" and "conspiracy" and insisting on social media: "The only control or'guardrails' that AI needs is a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT, and the U.S.A. has that, in spades!"

AI'kill switch' may need to be mandatory, Anthropic co-founder says To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. An artificial intelligence kill switch which can be checked by a third-party may need to be mandatory for companies, a co-founder of one of the world's largest AI firms has said. Jack Clark, one of seven founders of Anthropic, said a way of shutting off AI software completely if it gets too dangerous was the kind of thing society might want to eventually pass rules around. Clark said most labs have different ways of being able to pull the plug, including Anthropic, but said policymakers may need to enforce having one. The rapid development of AI and fears over the risks that the technology poses to humanity have been thrust into the spotlight by a series of warnings from executives and staff at AI firms.