California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order Friday to accelerate state oversight of AI, exploring emergency “kill switches” for models and challenging President Donald Trump’s hands-off approach amid rising industry safety fears.
The move follows Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s call to “pace the frontier” of AI development so safety measures can catch up as well as warnings from researchers that companies are losing control of increasingly powerful systems that could “kill all humans” in the coming years.
“The fact that these labs are directly issuing urgent warnings about the risks of AI should be deeply concerning to everyone.” Newsom said on X. “And while Trump sits by and does nothing, California is signing nation-leading laws to provide the accountability this moment demands.”
The executive order seeks to “dramatically accelerate” state oversight of safety and security risks in AI systems by tasking a group of industry experts to build a safety plan for the state within 60 days.
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Newsom asked the task force to explore the possibility of requiring third-party watchdogs to develop safety plans for leading AI companies. The order paves the way for California to force companies to develop a kill switch that could shut down frontier models in case of a security failure.
In his signature fashion, Newsom delivered the announcement alongside accusations that Trump is asleep at the wheel, adding that Washington has abdicated its responsibility to protect Americans.
Trump made his position clear on Monday when he asserted that his presidency is the only guardrail needed for AI. In a post from his Truth Social account, he called alarm bells from industry leaders “a SICK conspiracy going on against AI and Data Centers,” adding, “The only one that is happy about it is China.”
The governor has leaned into his confrontations with Trump over the past few years, often using their bouts to elevate his national profile and position himself as a leading Democratic foil as he weighs a potential run for president.
This week, the AI debate has shaped the 2028 Democratic field as potential contenders scramble to carve out their own lanes on the issue.
On Friday, Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed an executive order to increase oversight over the state’s data centers. And fellow Democratic governors have recently followed suit: Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapirocalled for strict federal safeguards while Maryland Gov. Wes Moore is eyeing more regulation. Others have turned to Congress, like former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who claimed lawmakers have been sitting on their hands, and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who issued a public plea on Friday for more action from D.C.
Newsom signed a separate law Thursday forcing advertisers to disclose the use of AI-generated actors and recently approved rules requiring developers to report serious incidents.
The California governor faces a Sept. 30 deadline to sign a massive package of 20 strict AI regulations, including measures prohibiting automated hiring and firing decisions, curbing surveillance tools and regulating mass AI-driven layoffs.
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