What happened
On 23 September 2026, Governor Newsom announced the expert group advising on recommendations required by his recent AI executive order: Jason Goldman, Gillian Hadfield, Alondra Nelson and Rob Reich. Proposals under consideration include requiring independent third parties embedded inside frontier AI companies to verify safety frameworks and independently assess safety evaluations, and requiring companies to develop an emergency shutoff ('kill switch') for frontier models — building on his 18 September EO that accelerated independent-oversight law implementation.
Why it matters
This operationalises California's frontier-AI oversight work that currently has no federal analogue; the panel's recommendations are expected to inform binding state requirements (verification and kill-switch mandates) for frontier labs, and California law drives national practice.
Action needed
Frontier AI labs with California operations should monitor the panel's forthcoming recommendations on embedded independent evaluation and kill-switch design and engage in any subsequent rulemaking or legislative process.