Anthropic asks Newsom to let courts block risky AI models

Anthropic wrote to California Governor Gavin Newsom on October 15. Reuters and Politico reported the letter this week. The company said officials should be able to ask a court to block an AI model. The test is a “serious risk” to the public. It also backs shutdown procedures and outside safety auditors working inside AI companies.

A court order is a powerful way to stop a product. A judge tells the company it cannot ship. Anthropic is asking for that power to apply to its own industry. A “kill switch” is a way to shut a model down fast if it misbehaves. The outside auditors would be safety experts from beyond the company, checking its work from the inside. “Serious risk” is the phrase doing the work here. Someone would have to define it.

Keep reading — what to watch

Will California act on this? Anthropic is asking for the power, not writing the law. A governor can sign or veto bills, so Newsom's reaction matters most. Watch whether he or state lawmakers pick up the court-order idea. Also watch whether other AI companies publicly agree.