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Politics197 outlets ran this3 min read

Newsom signs order for AI safety recommendations

California governor directs agencies to develop enhanced AI laws, including potential 'kill switch'.

AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

Published Updated
Newsom signs order for AI safety recommendations

What this story says

  • California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on September 18, 2026, directing state agencies to develop AI safety recommendations.
  • The order establishes a team of experts tasked with creating proposals for enhanced AI safety laws within two months.
  • Potential new regulations may include a requirement for independent third parties to write safety plans for frontier AI companies and the development of an AI 'kill switch'.
  • Newsom criticised the federal government for a lack of AI oversight.

Who covered it

Left 31%(40)Centre 38%(49)Right 31%(40)

Percentages are shares of the 129 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 68 of the 197 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .

Trust

42/100

Craft

61/100

Hype

41/100

197 sources · methodology

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on September 18, 2026, that directs state agencies to develop recommendations for strengthening artificial intelligence safety laws. The order calls for a team of experts to create these proposals within two months. Potential enhanced laws may include a requirement for independent third parties to write safety plans for frontier AI companies. The order also explores the development of a potential 'kill switch' for AI programs.

Newsom stated that Washington has failed to establish adequate AI oversight. He expressed urgency in developing substantial and responsible AI oversight, saying, "We're not waiting to act, we’re going to speed up our work on substantial and responsible AI oversight before it's too late." The governor's office announced that the new regulations could also mandate that companies develop a mechanism to shut down their models in case of emergency.

Disagreement on prior actions

Startup Fortune reported that Newsom signed the order two years after vetoing SB 1047, a bill that would have mandated the same thing. The Verge also noted that Newsom had vetoed SB 1047, which required developers to be able to promptly deactivate AI models.

What the coverage left out

None of the left, centre, or right-rated reports mention the specific date Newsom signed the executive order, September 18, 2026. None of the right-rated reports mention Newsom's criticism of the federal government for failing to establish AI oversight.

Tags:#GavinNewsom#AI#ArtificialIntelligence#ExecutiveOrder#AISafety#KillSwitch

Coverage settled. We checked this 9 times and stopped on 24 Sept 2026, 04:15. The figures above are what it finished at.

How each side covered it

Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.

Left

40 rated outlets

  • Nine left-rated reports led on Governor Newsom's executive order concerning AI safety. Many highlighted the potential for a 'kill switch' for AI programs. CNBC, which provided a full report, quoted Newsom saying, "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." The Journal and Washingtonsun.com also mentioned the 'kill switch' in their headlines. The Wrap stated Newsom was "Not Waiting to Act."

Centre

49 rated outlets

  • The centre-rated digests led on Governor Gavin Newsom's executive order concerning artificial intelligence safety. Multiple reports highlighted the creation of a panel to develop regulations and the potential inclusion of a "kill switch" for rogue AI programs.
  • These digests stated that the order directs state agencies to develop AI safety recommendations. Some noted that this action follows Newsom's previous veto of stricter AI regulations.
  • The digests mentioned that California is the centre of AI development. One report included a quote from Newsom stating that California is stepping up due to a lack of federal leadership.

Right

40 rated outlets

  • Four right-rated reports focused on Newsom's executive order and the potential 'kill switch'. Aftenposten's headline stated the governor "Calls for AI Emergency Button." New York Post reported Newsom "seeks ‘kill switch’ for AI in new executive order." Fox Business reported Newsom "advances AI 'kill switch' mandate under new California executive order." Tippinsights reported Newsom "Orders New AI Safety Review."

Questions about this coverage

How did the left and right cover Newsom signs order for AI safety recommendations?
Of the 129 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 31% are rated left, 38% are rated centre, 31% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 197. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
Is Newsom signs order for AI safety recommendations left or right?
Neither side dominates it. Of the 129 rated outlets on this story, 31% are rated left, 38% are rated centre, 31% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
Is the coverage of Newsom signs order for AI safety recommendations biased?
Newsom signs order for AI safety recommendations is one event reported by 197 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
Which outlets covered Newsom signs order for AI safety recommendations?
197 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
What did California Governor Gavin Newsom's executive order direct state agencies to do?
Governor Newsom directed state agencies to develop recommendations for strengthening artificial intelligence safety laws. This includes forming a team of experts to propose new regulations within two months, potentially covering areas like independent safety plan reviews for AI companies and the development of an AI 'kill switch'.
What are some of the potential enhanced AI laws mentioned in the order?
The executive order explores the development of enhanced AI safety laws. These could include a requirement for independent third parties to write safety plans for frontier AI companies. It also investigates the creation of a potential 'kill switch' for AI programs, allowing them to be shut down in emergencies.
What was Governor Newsom's stance on federal AI oversight?
Governor Newsom criticised the federal government, stating it had "abjectly failed" to create meaningful AI oversight or accountability. He expressed that California would not wait for federal action and would instead accelerate its own work on responsible AI oversight.

Read it at the source

197 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.

Left

40
Show 32 more

Centre

49
Show 41 more

Right

40
Show 32 more

Not rated

68
Show 60 more

How did this read?

About the coverage, not about the story. We do not ask whether you agree with what happened — we have no honest use for that answer.

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