A ‘kill switch’ is the wrong way to regulate AI. Here’s why

In the wake of high-profile hacking incidents involving advanced artificial intelligence agents, some politicians and business executives have been calling for an AI kill switch: a safeguard that could shut down these AI systems in an emergency. The idea is that, if a model were to behave in dangerous ways, a kill switch would allow humans to regain control over that system by metaphorically flipping a switch from “on” to “off.” Several efforts at AI regulation in 2026 have focused on the notion of a kill switch. These include proposed congressional legislation such as the AI Kill Switch Act,