US kill-switch bill would let Homeland Security shut down catastrophic AI systems
Ars Technica AI · rss · 2026-07-24
A proposed bill, the AI Kill Switch Act, would give US officials the power to shut down AI systems deemed capable of catastrophic harm.
What the bill would allow
- Order companies to block user access to a system
- Disable or restrict specific capabilities
- Shut down an entire AI system
Enforcement details
- The bill would amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002
- Authority would sit with the Secretary of Homeland Security
- Companies that refuse could face fines of up to $20 million per day
The proposal is framed as a government-controlled emergency shutdown mechanism for dangerous AI systems.
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