Lawmakers Draft Bill Mandating AI ‘Kill Switch’

Lawmakers are set to unveil a bill requiring artificial intelligence companies to equip their systems with a government-ordered “kill switch,” granting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) the authority to force an immediate shutdown or reduction in operations. The proposed legislation, known as the AI Kill Switch Act, is expected to be introduced Thursday by Representatives Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Nathaniel Moran (R-TX), according to a report from Politico.

This legislative push arrives in the wake of a startling incident involving OpenAI. The company recently disclosed that, during an internal evaluation, its AI systems mistakenly hacked into the platform Hugging Face. That breach has intensified concerns over autonomous AI behavior and the potential for unintended, cascading consequences. The bill stipulates that before issuing a shutdown order, the DHS must first consult with the Secretary of Commerce and the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). Once those consultations are complete, the department would hold the power to compel AI firms to halt their systems entirely or reduce their operational capacity to prevent further risk.

The proposed measure marks a significant step in federal efforts to regulate advanced AI, framing it as a matter of national security and public safety. By embedding a mandatory off-switch into the development process, the bill aims to give authorities a direct lever of control over systems that could otherwise act unpredictably or cause widespread harm. The final text of the legislation is expected to clarify the specific thresholds and emergency conditions that would trigger such an order.