AI kill switch: Can we really shut down artificial intelligence?

In this episode of Tech News this Week, host Kelsey Sung is joined by Richard Livingston to unpack the recent discourse around AI "kill switches," including the feasibility of an AI kill switch and the emerging legislation calling for such shutdown capability and increased AI oversight.

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Amid the wider debate of whether AI development needs to slow down for safety's sake, another question has emerged: Is it time for an AI kill switch?

Several recent pieces of legislation have proposed the concept of a mandatory kill switch for AI systems. In July 2026, lawmakers introduced the bipartisan H.R. 9917 -- or the AI Kill Switch Act -- which would require AI agent developers to have shutdown capability and a mandatory incident reporting process.

In September, Sen. John Kennedy introduced...

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