Anthropic Co-Founder Says AI Kill Switch May Need To Be Mandatory

Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark said companies may eventually need a mandatory, third-party-verifiable AI “kill switch” to shut software down if it becomes too dangerous, according to BBC. He said most AI labs already have ways to “pull the plug”, but argued policymakers may need to require such safeguards as part of a wider policy debate around AI safety. Clark’s comments come as Anthropic and other AI firms face growing scrutiny over the risks of advanced systems. Anthropic head Dario Amodei has also called for AI development to slow and be more closely monitored, while US lawmakers have proposed the Kill Switch Act, which would require companies to be able to shut down problematic AI tools. The UK government has recently rejected the idea of a kill switch, saying it would not stop systems being developed or misused elsewhere.