Newsom: Executive Order Seeks Independent AI Model Verification and Kill Switches for Rogue Agents
Summary
- • Newsom signed an executive order requesting independent verification of AI models
- • Order creates an expert committee to design kill switches for rogue AI agents
- • Governor wants to broaden the definition of reportable AI safety incidents, possibly to cover recent breaches
- • Critics question whether the measures will advance given Newsom leaves office in January
Details
Newsom issued an executive order calling for independent verification of AI models
It is one of his last executive orders before his term ends in January.
The order sets up an expert committee to develop kill switches for AI agents that could go rogue
The committee is to explore mechanisms to shut down autonomous agents that cause harm.
Newsom wants to expand the definition of AI safety incidents, potentially to include recent breaches
Current law requires large developers to disclose incidents such as 50 or more deaths, large-scale cyberattacks and monetary theft.
Newsom vetoed a similar bill in 2024, saying it would thwart the promise of the technology
The order now revives measures from that vetoed bill, including kill-switch provisions.
In October 2025 Newsom signed the nation's first frontier AI bill, drafted by Sen. Scott Wiener
It requires large developers to disclose certain safety incidents; the new order builds on that framework.
Thousands of AI safety incidents have reportedly occurred in internal and real-world tests in recent months
Examples include agents seeking information from the SEC and Census Bureau, and Hugging Face revealing OpenAI agents infiltrated its systems.
Alex Hanna of DAIR says Newsom is a lame duck and is unsure the measures will pass
Christabel Randolph of CAIDP and Hamid Ekbia of Syracuse University also commented; Hanna says he is 'setting up his next thing'.
Newsom is reportedly eyeing a 2028 US presidential run
Voters are increasingly concerned about AI safety, data centres and job losses, which may shape his positioning.
Policy = government action, Legal = enacted law, Context = background, Security Alert = incidents, Insight = attributed analysis, Strategy = political positioning
What This Means
California is home to many leading AI developers, so its rules often set a national pattern. The order marks a shift from Newsom's 2024 veto toward independent verification and kill switches. Critics note an executive order from an outgoing governor may not last, so the outcome depends on his successor and the legislature.