NYC Council Proposes $25,000 Fines for AI Kill Switch Violations

A new set of bills in New York would require artificial intelligence companies to submit their software to external audits and incorporate emergency shutoff mechanisms. Lawmakers intend to penalize violators with fines of $25,000 per instance, which could be applied to every individual agent within an AI swarm. The legislative package also creates cash rewards for whistleblowers who report safety violations and allows residents to sue companies for damages caused by jailbroken tools. The City Council has invited Sam Altman, Dario Amodei, Sundar Pichai, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg to a hearing on Oct. 5 to discuss the measures. While Fortune reports that none of the tech executives are currently expected to appear, council members have stated they reserve the right to subpoena the leaders to compel their testimony.