'You're still going to be steamrolled by the super intelligences created in the US': UK government rejects calls for an AI 'kill switch'
Date:
Mon, 14 Sep 2026 09:10:24 +0000
Description:
UK government has ruled out an AI kill switch because it wouldn't actually be able to put a stop to harmful AI despite best efforts.
FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Domestic kill switches are no longer feasible, UK government warns AI companies and government need to work together to reduce the risks OpenAI and 100+ other companies warn of "limited window to strengthen" defenses The UK Government has reportedly rejected
calls to create an emergency AI kill switch, per BBC reporting, and it's largely because there are simply too many parties and factors to consider at this stage.
The Cabinet Office told the BBC that it "cannot simply turn AI off" because preventing access to a model or shutting down certain infrastructure would
not stop the same model being developed and hosted, thus misused, elsewhere. This is in response to MPs pushing for a statutory trigger that the
government could pull in the event of an emergency. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: UK government rules out AI kill switch The government also implied that the responsibility lies with AI companies, and that developers have their own responsibility to build products with the appropriate safeguards.
Former OpenAI researcher Danial Kokotajlo also agrees that one country building a legal or technical kill switch would not be feasible, but
Kokotajlo does see companies working together as one potential solution. You may like Lords call for a 'kill switch' on powerful AI systems used in the United Kingdom Bill requiring AI systems to have a kill switch introduced to Congress 'We have a kill switch that stops AI agents that go rogue': ServiceNow CEO Bill McDermott says his company can help firms go "from AI chaos to AI discipline"
"Switching off access to an AI model in an emergency will do little to
protect you," Kokotajlo explained in relation to a domestic kill switch. "You're still going to be steamrolled by the super intelligences created in the US."
The latest kill switch debates have emerged from a September 1 discussion in the House of Lords, partly fueled by an open letter warning of a "limited window to strengthen cyber defenses." More than 100 companies, including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google , Microsoft , AWS and Adobe issued the stark warning, urging governments, cybersecurity companies and frontier AI developers to come together. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
"Our security services and regulators possess no specific agile statutory mechanism to compel a physical or digital shutdown," Lord Clement-Jones
warned earlier this month about the potential of a rogue AI.
As for what's next, while an AI kill switch may be technically infeasible, we can certainly hope that the companies and bodies at the forefront of AI and legislation collaborate more effectively to reduce future risks. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.
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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/pro/youre-still-going-to-be-steamrolled-by-the-super -intelligences-created-in-the-us-uk-government-rejects-calls-for-an-ai-kill-sw itch
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