California and New York Launch Aggressive AI Safety Initiatives

State leaders in California and New York are moving to regulate artificial intelligence as they criticize a lack of federal oversight. On September 18, 2026, Gavin Newsom, the Governor of California, issued an executive order to accelerate the development of AI safety and security laws. The order requires experts to create a regulatory guide within two months, which may mandate that frontier AI companies implement emergency kill switches or hire independent third-party safety planners.

Newsom criticized the federal government for failing to establish meaningful accountability, arguing that California's framework should serve as a national baseline. This action follows warnings from a former Anthropic researcher about existential AI risks and occurs as President Donald Trump continues to dismiss AI safety concerns as a hoax.

Simultaneously, New York Attorney General Letitia James has launched an effort to identify illegal development practices within the industry. James urged AI company employees to use a secure whistleblower portal to report unsafe practices, stating that the promise of the technology is no excuse for breaking the law. These efforts precede the January 1, 2027, implementation of the Responsible AI Safety and Education (RAISE) Act, which will require large developers to disclose safety measures and report security incidents, granting the New York Attorney General authority to sue non-compliant firms.