01In plain English
A kill switch is a control that stops an AI agent or automation at once, even in the middle of a task. It can be a button, a setting that revokes its access, or a rule that halts it when something looks wrong.
02Why it matters when you are choosing
An agent acting on your behalf can repeat a mistake many times before anyone notices. A kill switch limits the damage to what happened before you pressed it.
03What to check
Ask the vendor
Ask how you stop the agent, who can do it, whether it stops actions already in progress, and whether you get a record of what it did.