Newsom Issues Executive Order on AI Safety, Calls for Kill Switch and Independent Audits

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on Friday directing a panel of experts to develop recommendations for strengthening the state's artificial intelligence safety and security laws, framing the move as a direct response to what he described as federal inaction on the technology.

The order gives the expert group two months to produce a policy guide for the state, according to an announcement from Newsom's office. Among the measures under consideration are requirements that independent third parties write safety plans for frontier AI companies, and mandates that companies build a "kill switch" capable of shutting down their models in an emergency.

"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 Friday.

The order arrives amid heightened anxiety over AI risks in Washington and across the country. A researcher at Anthropic resigned earlier this month, warning in a social media post of AI's potentially humanity-ending capabilities — a development that triggered an intense response from lawmakers and political figures. Congress, however, appears unlikely to pass meaningful AI legislation before the 2026 midterm elections, and President Donald Trump has so far resisted calls for regulation, characterizing AI safety concerns as a "hoax."

Newsom invoked that dynamic directly, drawing a contrast between state and federal postures. "While Washington abdicates its responsibility to protect Americans, California is building on the strongest AI regulatory framework in the nation," he said. "California has already built a national model, and our policy should be the national baseline."

The governor also pointed to a law he signed earlier this month that establishes a framework for third-party AI auditors, describing it as a foundation on which the new recommendations would build.

Newsom is widely considered a potential contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, though he has not announced a campaign. His term as California governor ends on Jan. 4. He is among several Democrats with presidential ambitions who have adopted aggressive stances on AI regulation in recent weeks.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has called for "third-party" oversight of frontier AI models and stricter guardrails. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., has said he is introducing legislation to create a fund, financed by AI companies, to support workers displaced by the technology. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., has urged Trump to convene a special session of Congress to address AI risks.

The flurry of activity from Democratic governors and senators underscores how AI regulation has become a defining issue heading into the midterm cycle — one that the party appears intent on using to draw a contrast with the Trump administration's hands-off posture.

For California, the executive order extends a pattern of the state stepping into regulatory voids left by Washington, reinforcing its long-standing role as a de facto national standard-setter on technology policy. Whether the expert panel's eventual recommendations translate into enforceable law will depend on the state legislature, and the timeline for any such action remains unclear.