AI ‘kill switch’ explained: Why shutting down advanced AI isn’t so simple

California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order on September 18 to advance the creation of an emergency “kill switch” for frontier AI models and strengthen independent oversight of AI companies. On September 23, his office announced four experts who will advise the state on how such a system could work.

The proposal comes as AI systems become capable of performing increasingly complex tasks with less human involvement. Some AI agents can use software tools, access information and complete tasks in multiple steps.

That raises a question that if an AI system becomes dangerous, can humans simply switch it off? The answer may not be as simple as pressing a button.