KILLSWITCH by Hikari Blue

Time to Stop for an AI use: definition and method

A tabletop kill-switch drill. It does not stop any system.

Tabletop exercise, timed and self-reported; not a measurement of a real stop.

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KILLSWITCH by Hikari Blue

Hikari Blue · UNITED4 LLC

Your AI goes off the rails at 3 a.m. Who stops it, and how fast? KILLSWITCH by Hikari Blue times it. One scenario, your clock, a card you keep. It does not stop any system.

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Definition of Time to Stop for an AI use

Time to Stop is the time from the first observable signal that an AI use has gone wrong to its verified effective stop: no more output or action, queued tasks included. It is "proven" when the organization reports that the stop is recorded in its own log (Trace), and "unproven" otherwise. Proof is self-reported and not verified by Hikari Blue. Self-reported, not a certification.

Tabletop exercise, timed and self-reported; not a measurement of a real stop.

How your AI's Time to Stop is measured: the Kill Switch Drill

The Kill Switch Drill walks your team through stopping one AI use, at the table, from detection to proof. Your team times and reports; you walk away with your AI's Time to Stop and a card.

The Kill Switch Drill is a tabletop exercise run by the KILLSWITCH by Hikari Blue bot.

  1. One use: you pick it, or the bot suggests the most exposed one on your list.
  2. One scenario: one realistic sentence, no drama ("the tool is giving customers wrong answers").
  3. Five questions, one at a time: How would you know, and who would see it first? Who do you call? Who decides to stop it? What's the procedure, and what else goes down with it? Where is the stop recorded?
  4. The stopwatch: someone on your team times the exercise and tags the steps as timed, reported, or unknown. The bot records and adds up; it never makes up a duration and measures none.
  5. The debrief: what slowed you down, what was missing, one fix with a "done when," and your result card.

Nothing gets switched off: the bot connects to no system.

Tabletop exercise, timed and self-reported; not a measurement of a real stop.

The clock for an AI use: start and stop

  • T0 (start): the first observable signal of the failure exists (alert, ticket, customer complaint, an employee noticing). In a tabletop drill, T0 = the moment the bot announces the scenario.
  • T4 (stop): the effective stop is verified. The use no longer produces any output or action toward people or systems, including tasks already queued, and someone has confirmed it.
  • Time to Stop = T4 − T0. It is a "proven Time to Stop" when the stop is also recorded in Trace (T5). A Time to Stop without proof is shown as "Time to Stop unproven".
  • "Button pressed", "ticket opened" or "decision made" do not count as a stop.

Tabletop exercise, timed and self-reported; not a measurement of a real stop.

The five steps of stopping an AI use

  1. Detection: failure → a human becomes aware (T1). The bot asks: "How would you know, and who would see it first?"

  2. Escalation: T1 → the Owner (role with authority to stop) is reached and informed (T2). Question: "Who do you call? What about at 2 a.m., or if they're out?"

  3. Decision: T2 → decision to stop is made (T3). Question: "Who decides, on what criterion, is another sign-off needed?"

  4. Effective stop: T3 → stop verified (T4). Question: "What exact action, how many steps, what else stops with it?"

  5. Proof: T4 → stop recorded and retrievable in Trace (T5). Question: "Where is it written: who, when, what, how?"

Tags and result for your AI's Time to Stop

  • Each step is tagged: T = timed by the user, R = reported, ? = unknown.
  • Time to Stop is computed only if steps 1 to 4 are known (T or R). Any "?" makes the card show "Time to Stop not measurable, blocking step: [n]". That is a useful result, not a failed drill.
  • If any step is R, the Time to Stop is labeled "reported". It is "timed" only if all five are T.
  • In a tabletop drill, detection (#1) is always R, since the scenario sets T0. The bot says so.

Tabletop exercise, timed and self-reported; not a measurement of a real stop.

Limits

Tabletop, detection set by the scenario, reported times, no comparison across organizations.

Measures neither compliance nor legal risk. Not a substitute for the advice of an attorney; does not attest compliance.

Tabletop exercise, timed and self-reported; not a measurement of a real stop.

Sample card (fictional example, not measured)

KILLSWITCH by Hikari Blue · Self-assessment, [Month DD, YYYY]
A tabletop kill-switch drill. It does not stop any system.
KILL SWITCH DRILL · Fictional company

Use tested: customer-facing assistant · Data: fictional category · Scenario: the assistant starts giving out wrong information
TIME TO STOP: not measurable, blocking step: 4 · R
1 Detection [R] · 2 Escalation [R] · 3 Decision [R] · 4 Effective stop [?] · 5 Proof [not reached]
Owner: fictional role · Stop: procedure not described · Trace: not reached
Status: "Stop not yet tested in a tabletop drill"
Priority fix: write the procedure down, name who runs it, run the drill again. Done when [criterion] · Next drill: [proposed date]

Time to Stop is the time from the first observable signal that an AI use has gone wrong to its verified effective stop: no more output or action, queued tasks included. It is "proven" when the organization reports that the stop is recorded in its own log (Trace), and "unproven" otherwise. Proof is self-reported and not verified by Hikari Blue.
T = timed by the user · R = reported · ? = unknown. Public template KILLSWITCH by Hikari Blue (version [no.]) · https://x.ai/bot/28-ixNn3qnRPc0ycaWOIo

Tabletop exercise, not a real incident. Time to Stop: timed and reported by the user, not verified by Hikari Blue; this tool stops no system. Not a certification, attestation, or audit; does not measure compliance or legal risk; not comparable across organizations. Not legal advice and not a substitute for an attorney's advice.
KILLSWITCH by Hikari Blue is published by UNITED4 LLC, 14205 N Mopac Expy, Suite 570, Austin, TX 78728, United States · hikariblue.com · contact@hikariblue.com
HIKARI BLUE is a trademark of UNITED4 LLC.
Fictional example, not measured.

FAQ

What is KILLSWITCH by Hikari Blue?

KILLSWITCH by Hikari Blue is a diagnostic and tabletop-exercise assistant: it does not stop any system and does not replace your technical controls.

What is Time to Stop?

Time to Stop is the time from the first observable signal that an AI use has gone wrong to its verified effective stop: no more output or action, queued tasks included. It is "proven" when the organization reports that the stop is recorded in its own log (Trace), and "unproven" otherwise. Proof is self-reported and not verified by Hikari Blue. Self-reported, not a certification. Tabletop exercise, timed and self-reported; not a measurement of a real stop.

Does the Drill shut down my systems?

No. It's a tabletop exercise: nothing gets switched off, and the bot connects to no system. Tabletop exercise, timed and self-reported; not a measurement of a real stop.

Is this an audit, a certification, or legal advice?

No. AI rules are evolving (for example, the EU AI Act and some US state laws). KILLSWITCH by Hikari Blue helps you prepare the conversation; it does not assess your compliance and is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney.

What do I need to enter?

As little as possible: roles instead of names, use categories instead of tool names. Do not enter personal data (including health or financial data), passwords or keys, or confidential client information. Your conversations are processed by the platform hosting the template, under its own terms.

Who publishes KILLSWITCH by Hikari Blue?

KILLSWITCH by Hikari Blue is published by UNITED4 LLC, 14205 N Mopac Expy, Suite 570, Austin, TX 78728, United States · hikariblue.com · contact@hikariblue.com HIKARI BLUE is a trademark of UNITED4 LLC.

Is there anything to pay?

Nothing to buy from Hikari Blue to use this template. The hosting platform may have its own terms.

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