California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Friday to accelerate two recently enacted AI-safety laws and direct state officials and outside experts to develop new oversight proposals, including a potential “kill switch” requirement for the most powerful artificial intelligence models.
The order follows a public statement Newsom made this week to Politico, where he said he was weighing further steps on AI safety after warnings from researchers that the technology could pose an existential risk to humanity, along with high-profile autonomous hacking incidents. Newsom also cited federal inaction, pointing to President Donald Trump’s dismissal of those concerns as a “hoax.
Newsom Calls Out Federal Inaction on AI
In a press release accompanying the order, Newsom said Washington’s silence on the issue leaves the public exposed. “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,” he said. He urged Trump and Congress to either adopt California’s framework or treat the state’s existing regulations as a baseline for federal rules.
Recommendations developed under the executive order are expected to be published within two months. State Sen. Christopher Cabaldon, a Democrat from West Sacramento who chairs the state committee overseeing technology, said he will hold AI hearings this fall. He argued the current regulatory environment is wholly inadequate, noting the gap between how everyday businesses are managed and how AI companies operate. “We regulate your barber or your sandwich shop more than we regulate [a company] telling us that they may be ending humanity,” Cabaldon said, as covered in Newsom AI kill switch order.
Federal Investigation Clouds Newsom’s Wider Political Standing
The push on AI regulation arrives as Newsom faces unrelated federal scrutiny. Investigators are reportedly examining his international travel and the California State Protocol Foundation, a nonprofit established in 2002 that helps fund gubernatorial travel and related expenses. Subpoenas issued earlier this month reportedly request six years of records from the foundation, along with testimony and communications involving Newsom, current and former aides, and advisors.
State records show Newsom has secured more than $7.5 million in donations from businesses and nonprofits for the foundation since 2019. The subpoenas reportedly indicate the inquiry is part of a criminal case pending in the Eastern District of California, the same court handling charges against his former chief of staff, Dana Williamson. Williamson pleaded guilty to three federal crimes, including stolen campaign funds, tax fraud, and lying to investigators. Her sentencing, originally scheduled this month, has been pushed to October 8 following an unplanned surgery.
What Comes Next for California’s AI Rules
The expert recommendations called for by the executive order are due within roughly two months, setting up a busy autumn in Sacramento on technology policy. Legislative hearings led by Sen. Cabaldon will run alongside that process, potentially building pressure for stronger statutory requirements than those currently on the books.
Meanwhile, the federal investigation into Newsom’s travel funding and outside foundation contributions shows no sign of slowing. With Williamson’s sentencing approaching and subpoenas seeking years of financial records still outstanding, both storylines, AI regulation and the legal scrutiny around his administration, are set to intensify heading into the final months of 2026.
