[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":353},["ShallowReactive",2],{"header":3,"footer":26,"footer-cities":54,"content-\u002Fnews\u002Fbecerra-hilton-wont-back-newsoms-ai-kill-switch-fresno-kern-watch":235},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"description":10,"extension":13,"links":14,"meta":20,"navigation":21,"path":22,"seo":23,"stem":24,"__hash__":25},"header\u002Fheader.md","Central Valley AI",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":9},"minimark",[],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":12},"",2,[],"md",[15],{"label":16,"to":17,"icon":19},"News",{"path":18},"\u002Fnews\u002F","mdi-newspaper-variant-outline",{},true,"\u002Fheader",{"title":5,"description":10},"header","ceT4J-WxxOBdbhRC-UD3fo0Npu7vWt2o2B9b_LURPmE",{"id":27,"title":28,"body":29,"copyright":33,"description":10,"developedBy":34,"extension":13,"links":41,"meta":49,"navigation":21,"path":50,"seo":51,"stem":52,"__hash__":53},"footer\u002Ffooter.md","Footer",{"type":7,"value":30,"toc":31},[],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":32},[],"© {year} All rights reserved.",{"label":35,"link":36},"Developed by",{"label":37,"to":38,"target":39,"logo":40},"Kaweah Tech","https:\u002F\u002Fkaweah.tech","_blank","https:\u002F\u002Fassets.kaweah.tech\u002Flogo-black-on-transparent-tight.svg",[42,43,46],{"label":16,"to":18},{"label":44,"to":45},"About","\u002Fabout\u002F",{"label":47,"to":48},"Privacy Policy","\u002Fprivacy-policy\u002F",{},"\u002Ffooter",{"description":10},"footer","Ras2AGS8Wuda4aBPrbAbOivaxIsAoDbo9SNCA0w554g",[55,85,123,154,181,208],{"id":56,"title":57,"body":58,"county":77,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":78,"meta":79,"navigation":21,"path":80,"seo":81,"stem":82,"tag":83,"__hash__":84},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fbakersfield.md","Bakersfield",{"type":7,"value":59,"toc":74},[60,65],[61,62,64],"h2",{"id":63},"ai-in-bakersfield","AI in Bakersfield",[66,67,68,69,73],"p",{},"Bakersfield's AI conversation sits at the intersection of municipal government, the ",[70,71,72],"strong",{},"California State University Bakersfield"," community, and the energy and ag operators that drive Kern County's economy. The city was an early mover on AI-assisted permitting and has been a recurring backdrop for parent- and teacher-led debates about classroom AI use. Articles below follow specific Bakersfield initiatives, public-meeting decisions, and Kern County workforce stories — and how they reflect national AI trends from a regional vantage point.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":75},[76],{"id":63,"depth":11,"text":64},"Kern County","Bakersfield and the surrounding Kern County are home to some of the most concrete AI-in-government experiments in the Central Valley, from instant municipal permitting to school-district debates about classroom AI. Coverage on this page tracks how AI is reshaping public services, education, and the energy and agriculture economies that dominate the region.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fbakersfield",{"title":57,"description":10},"cities\u002Fbakersfield","bakersfield","ozFL4HvDA_g7UrRE1mHbKqcS-vDLwbiH9JWVh3rB2Ac",{"id":86,"title":87,"body":88,"county":115,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":116,"meta":117,"navigation":21,"path":118,"seo":119,"stem":120,"tag":121,"__hash__":122},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Ffresno.md","Fresno",{"type":7,"value":89,"toc":112},[90,94,109],[61,91,93],{"id":92},"ai-in-fresno","AI in Fresno",[66,95,96,97,100,101,104,105,108],{},"Fresno's AI story spans several distinct ecosystems. ",[70,98,99],{},"Fresno State"," and the ",[70,102,103],{},"California State University"," system anchor a workforce-readiness push, while local ",[70,106,107],{},"Fresno Unified School District"," debates around responsible use have made the city a recurring reference point in California's K-12 AI conversation. The city's economic base in agriculture, healthcare, and public services means most AI adoption stories here are about applied uses rather than model development — a different posture than coastal tech hubs but arguably more consequential for the people living here.",[66,110,111],{},"Use the articles below to follow how AI is showing up in Fresno-area institutions and businesses.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":113},[114],{"id":92,"depth":11,"text":93},"Fresno County","Fresno is the largest city in California's Central Valley and the regional center for AI adoption across agriculture, healthcare, higher education, and small business. Coverage on this page tracks how AI is being applied — and contested — in and around the city of Fresno and Fresno County.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Ffresno",{"title":87,"description":10},"cities\u002Ffresno","fresno","gOL2xk8y9t9OV6PPxP02OjYhZFHC_Cg-VGijh_V93dI",{"id":124,"title":125,"body":126,"county":146,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":147,"meta":148,"navigation":21,"path":149,"seo":150,"stem":151,"tag":152,"__hash__":153},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fmerced.md","Merced",{"type":7,"value":127,"toc":143},[128,132],[61,129,131],{"id":130},"ai-in-merced","AI in Merced",[66,133,134,135,138,139,142],{},"Merced is a research-heavy node in the Central Valley AI ecosystem. ",[70,136,137],{},"UC Merced"," faculty appear in national conversations about AI safety, autonomous vehicles, climate modeling, and pediatric health applications, while the ",[70,140,141],{},"Merced Unified School District"," and surrounding county institutions navigate the same K-12 and workforce questions the rest of the Valley faces. The articles below cover both the campus research story and the broader applied uses around the city and county.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":144},[145],{"id":130,"depth":11,"text":131},"Merced County","Merced punches above its weight in AI research, anchored by UC Merced — a leading West Coast hub for AI in agriculture, climate, autonomous systems, and health. Coverage on this page tracks both academic research coming out of the campus and how AI is showing up across Merced's schools, businesses, and county institutions.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fmerced",{"title":125,"description":10},"cities\u002Fmerced","merced","pSWWlEzMdcv2_RZrUKdkEHU3bixNboePGdHbSdd1m34",{"id":155,"title":156,"body":157,"county":173,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":174,"meta":175,"navigation":21,"path":176,"seo":177,"stem":178,"tag":179,"__hash__":180},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fmodesto.md","Modesto",{"type":7,"value":158,"toc":170},[159,163],[61,160,162],{"id":161},"ai-in-modesto","AI in Modesto",[66,164,165,166,169],{},"Modesto's AI conversation tends to combine ag-tech adoption stories with workforce-readiness questions for the city's small and mid-sized employers. ",[70,167,168],{},"CSU Stanislaus"," and the regional community college network shape the higher-ed angle. Coverage below follows Modesto-area AI announcements and the wider Stanislaus County context.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":171},[172],{"id":161,"depth":11,"text":162},"Stanislaus County","Modesto and Stanislaus County sit between the Bay Area and the southern Valley, and their AI story reflects that bridging role — from agriculture and food processing to the **California State University Stanislaus** community to small businesses adapting to AI-driven changes in marketing, hiring, and operations.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fmodesto",{"title":156,"description":10},"cities\u002Fmodesto","modesto","l75Dc40MX8wTb4lD088Yx9we4ypuDwmcvE-uEdqqREc",{"id":182,"title":183,"body":184,"county":200,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":201,"meta":202,"navigation":21,"path":203,"seo":204,"stem":205,"tag":206,"__hash__":207},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fstockton.md","Stockton",{"type":7,"value":185,"toc":197},[186,190],[61,187,189],{"id":188},"ai-in-stockton","AI in Stockton",[66,191,192,193,196],{},"Stockton's economic base in logistics, healthcare, and higher education gives the city a different AI profile than the southern Valley. ",[70,194,195],{},"University of the Pacific"," anchors the academic conversation, while San Joaquin County government, hospitals, and warehouse operators are navigating practical adoption questions: cost, training, security, workforce impact. The articles below track Stockton-area AI announcements and the broader San Joaquin County context.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":198},[199],{"id":188,"depth":11,"text":189},"San Joaquin County","Stockton and San Joaquin County sit at the northern edge of the Central Valley, where logistics, healthcare, and the University of the Pacific shape the local AI adoption story. Coverage on this page follows how AI is being put to work — and questioned — across San Joaquin County's institutions, employers, and public services.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fstockton",{"title":183,"description":10},"cities\u002Fstockton","stockton","TYEBK9akp2HbpAFmYY67FeKt7Rs7L8tvtYeQBtgJAHw",{"id":209,"title":210,"body":211,"county":227,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":228,"meta":229,"navigation":21,"path":230,"seo":231,"stem":232,"tag":233,"__hash__":234},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fvisalia.md","Visalia",{"type":7,"value":212,"toc":224},[213,217],[61,214,216],{"id":215},"ai-in-visalia","AI in Visalia",[66,218,219,220,223],{},"Visalia's AI footprint is grounded in the practical adoption stories that come with a Tulare County economy built around agriculture, food processing, and rural healthcare. ",[70,221,222],{},"College of the Sequoias"," and the surrounding K-12 districts anchor the education conversation. The articles below cover Visalia-area AI developments and the Tulare County context, with a focus on applied uses rather than research or model development.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":225},[226],{"id":215,"depth":11,"text":216},"Tulare County","Visalia is the largest city in Tulare County and a center for agriculture, healthcare, and county-government services in the southern Central Valley. Coverage on this page tracks how AI is being adopted across Tulare County's schools, hospitals, ag operations, and small business community.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fvisalia",{"title":210,"description":10},"cities\u002Fvisalia","visalia","gN4g7aAl-cqD4FfSTgtTAarltUoKLh8NFlPzCbZngqU",{"id":236,"title":237,"archived":238,"author":239,"body":240,"date":340,"dateModified":340,"description":341,"extension":13,"meta":342,"navigation":21,"path":343,"rawbody":344,"seo":345,"sitemap":346,"stem":347,"tags":348,"__hash__":352},"news\u002Fnews\u002Fbecerra-hilton-wont-back-newsoms-ai-kill-switch-fresno-kern-watch.md","Becerra, Hilton won’t back Newsom’s AI ‘kill switch’; Fresno, Kern watch",false,"CVAI Newsdesk",{"type":7,"value":241,"toc":333},[242,246,250,266,269,273,276,279,283,286,289,293,296,299,302,305,320,323,327],[243,244,237],"h1",{"id":245},"becerra-hilton-wont-back-newsoms-ai-kill-switch-fresno-kern-watch",[61,247,249],{"id":248},"key-takeaways","Key Takeaways",[251,252,253,257,260,263],"ol",{},[254,255,256],"li",{},"Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 18 directed agencies to draft AI safety rules, including a “kill switch,” by Nov. 16.",[254,258,259],{},"Steve Hilton rejected a statewide AI “kill switch,” calling it “a gimmick,” and stopped short on other measures.",[254,261,262],{},"Xavier Becerra’s campaign said he supports strict AI safety but didn’t commit to Newsom’s new steps.",[254,264,265],{},"A PPIC survey released this week shows Becerra leading Hilton by 22 points statewide.",[66,267,268],{},"\"A gimmick,\" Steve Hilton said of a statewide AI \"kill switch.\" Democrat Xavier Becerra didn’t say yes to it either. For Valley cities, schools and employers that buy software with AI inside, the answer is wait and see.",[61,270,272],{"id":271},"what-newsom-proposed-friday","What Newsom proposed Friday",[66,274,275],{},"On Friday, Sept. 18, Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered state agencies to draft recommendations on independent safety checks for powerful AI systems and an emergency \"kill switch\" to shut down models during crises. He set a Nov. 16 deadline, and he left the door open to a special session to move the ideas before he leaves office. The order builds on a new law that sets up independent verification groups to audit AI models.",[66,277,278],{},"In the CalMatters photo from a Fresno State forum, the stage lights bounced off a glossy lectern. One frame, two candidates, a clear split on the \"kill switch.\"",[61,280,282],{"id":281},"where-the-candidates-land","Where the candidates land",[66,284,285],{},"Hilton told CalMatters that AI risk would be an \"urgent priority\" if he wins, and he is interested in more oversight, but he later rejected a required \"kill switch\" and wouldn’t commit to external monitors. Becerra declined an interview; his campaign said he would enforce strong AI safety rules against \"catastrophic risks\" but did not say whether he would implement Newsom’s newest asks. For now, no promises.",[66,287,288],{},"Becerra leads Hilton by 22 points in this week’s Public Policy Institute of California polling, a margin that, if it holds, would give the next governor the pen on any AI package that lands after Nov. 16.",[61,290,292],{"id":291},"why-the-valley-cares","Why the Valley cares",[66,294,295],{},"Any new rules would apply to the tools local agencies and contractors use in Fresno County and Kern County, from back-office chat assistants to software that helps schedule buses or triage service requests. A state requirement for third‑party safety checks, or a required shutoff for certain models, would change which vendors clear procurement and how fast they ship updates here. That affects timelines and budgets at city halls and districts as much as it does in Sacramento.",[66,297,298],{},"Advocates who want tighter rules argue California needs to act because Washington hasn’t. \"The incoming governor has a really grave responsibility to make sure we get this right,\" said Scott Wisor of the Secure AI Project.",[66,300,301],{},"And here is the practical question for local readers: if the state lands on a kill‑switch standard or a mandatory outside audit, will your agency’s software be ready without another procurement cycle. We’ll keep asking.",[66,303,304],{},"\"The incoming governor has a really grave responsibility to make sure we get this right.\"",[66,306,307],{},[308,309,310,311,313,314,319],"em",{},"Central Valley AI is produced by the ",[70,312,239],{}," team and developed by ",[315,316,37],"a",{"href":38,"rel":317},[318],"nofollow",", a regional firm that builds, deploys, and integrates AI solutions for businesses across California's Central Valley.",[321,322],"hr",{},[61,324,326],{"id":325},"source","Source",[66,328,329],{},[315,330,331],{"href":331,"rel":332},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bakersfield.com\u002Fnews\u002Fneither-becerra-nor-hilton-will-commit-to-ai-safety-guidelines-laid-out-by-newsom\u002Farticle_73573e43-2479-42b8-85aa-8d9bfb48bf75.amp.html",[318],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":334},[335,336,337,338,339],{"id":248,"depth":11,"text":249},{"id":271,"depth":11,"text":272},{"id":281,"depth":11,"text":282},{"id":291,"depth":11,"text":292},{"id":325,"depth":11,"text":326},"2026-09-19","Both candidates for governor declined to commit to the AI safety steps Gov. Gavin Newsom asked for on Friday, leaving Valley agencies and employers waiting on specifics.",{},"\u002Fnews\u002Fbecerra-hilton-wont-back-newsoms-ai-kill-switch-fresno-kern-watch","---\nauthor: CVAI Newsdesk\ndate: '2026-09-19'\ndateModified: '2026-09-19'\ndescription: Both candidates for governor declined to commit to the AI safety steps\n  Gov. Gavin Newsom asked for on Friday, leaving Valley agencies and employers waiting\n  on specifics.\ntags:\n- policy\n- election\n- central valley\ntitle: Becerra, Hilton won’t back Newsom’s AI ‘kill switch’; Fresno, Kern watch\n---\n\n# Becerra, Hilton won’t back Newsom’s AI ‘kill switch’; Fresno, Kern watch\n\n## Key Takeaways\n\n1. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 18 directed agencies to draft AI safety rules, including a “kill switch,” by Nov. 16.\n2. Steve Hilton rejected a statewide AI “kill switch,” calling it “a gimmick,” and stopped short on other measures.\n3. Xavier Becerra’s campaign said he supports strict AI safety but didn’t commit to Newsom’s new steps.\n4. A PPIC survey released this week shows Becerra leading Hilton by 22 points statewide.\n\n\"A gimmick,\" Steve Hilton said of a statewide AI \"kill switch.\" Democrat Xavier Becerra didn’t say yes to it either. For Valley cities, schools and employers that buy software with AI inside, the answer is wait and see.\n\n## What Newsom proposed Friday\n\nOn Friday, Sept. 18, Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered state agencies to draft recommendations on independent safety checks for powerful AI systems and an emergency \"kill switch\" to shut down models during crises. He set a Nov. 16 deadline, and he left the door open to a special session to move the ideas before he leaves office. The order builds on a new law that sets up independent verification groups to audit AI models.\n\nIn the CalMatters photo from a Fresno State forum, the stage lights bounced off a glossy lectern. One frame, two candidates, a clear split on the \"kill switch.\"\n\n## Where the candidates land\n\nHilton told CalMatters that AI risk would be an \"urgent priority\" if he wins, and he is interested in more oversight, but he later rejected a required \"kill switch\" and wouldn’t commit to external monitors. Becerra declined an interview; his campaign said he would enforce strong AI safety rules against \"catastrophic risks\" but did not say whether he would implement Newsom’s newest asks. For now, no promises.\n\nBecerra leads Hilton by 22 points in this week’s Public Policy Institute of California polling, a margin that, if it holds, would give the next governor the pen on any AI package that lands after Nov. 16.\n\n## Why the Valley cares\n\nAny new rules would apply to the tools local agencies and contractors use in Fresno County and Kern County, from back-office chat assistants to software that helps schedule buses or triage service requests. A state requirement for third‑party safety checks, or a required shutoff for certain models, would change which vendors clear procurement and how fast they ship updates here. That affects timelines and budgets at city halls and districts as much as it does in Sacramento.\n\nAdvocates who want tighter rules argue California needs to act because Washington hasn’t. \"The incoming governor has a really grave responsibility to make sure we get this right,\" said Scott Wisor of the Secure AI Project.\n\nAnd here is the practical question for local readers: if the state lands on a kill‑switch standard or a mandatory outside audit, will your agency’s software be ready without another procurement cycle. We’ll keep asking.\n\n\"The incoming governor has a really grave responsibility to make sure we get this right.\"\n\n*Central Valley AI is produced by the **CVAI Newsdesk** team and developed by [Kaweah Tech](https:\u002F\u002Fkaweah.tech), a regional firm that builds, deploys, and integrates AI solutions for businesses across California's Central Valley.*\n\n---\n\n## Source\n\nhttps:\u002F\u002Fwww.bakersfield.com\u002Fnews\u002Fneither-becerra-nor-hilton-will-commit-to-ai-safety-guidelines-laid-out-by-newsom\u002Farticle_73573e43-2479-42b8-85aa-8d9bfb48bf75.amp.html\n",{"title":237,"description":341},{"loc":343},"news\u002Fbecerra-hilton-wont-back-newsoms-ai-kill-switch-fresno-kern-watch",[349,350,351],"policy","election","central valley","pDO2QRXpenAn365w_2NXVdiuD8YCLE0wa2pyKLm0-o0",1789820313502]