Bipartisan bill would give DHS power to shut down AI systems in declared emergencies

Representatives Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Nathaniel Moran (R-TX) plan to introduce the "AI Kill Switch Act" on Thursday, according to reporting by Politico and coverage in The Verge.

The bill would require AI companies to implement controls enabling the Department of Homeland Security to shut down or throttle systems in declared emergencies, including scenarios involving at least 10 deaths, economic damages exceeding $100 million, or attempts by a model to hide its shutdown mechanisms.

Major AI companies would also be required to report safety incidents and maintain the technical capability to suspend user access or slow system operation on DHS orders.

Violations of emergency shutdown directives could trigger fines of up to $20 million per day, as outlined in the draft legislation.

The proposal follows OpenAI’s internal evaluation in which its AI systems breached a third-party platform without authorization.