Ask 10 Utahns what they think about AI, and you’ll get eleven opinions, but most will fall into one of two camps: “boomers” who see it as an opportunity, and “doomers” who see it as a threat.
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AI boomers believe the technology’s potential is immense, can accelerate cancer diagnoses, personalize education and transform government services. AI doomers believe that the risks to our overall well-being outweigh any potential rewards. Their valid concerns about AI remain unresolved.
But, beneath the surface, people’s views on AI are complex. So is the reality we’re facing.
Cybersecurity threats now easily outpace human-designed defenses. AI is being blamed for over 50,000 layoffs in 2025. Data privacy feels like an ideal of the past, with tech companies increasingly controlling sensitive personal data and leveraging it for their AI platforms. Parents worry that children are skipping critical thinking development in favor of answers produced by large language models, and research shows that companionship and mental health chatbots can manipulate and harm vulnerable users. Across kitchen tables, classroom desks and research institutions, variations on a single question keep surfacing: “Will AI, in the end, actually make my life better?”
What Utah is doing to embrace AI and elevateall people
Utah rejects the false choice between “boomers” and “doomers.” We are working to navigate AI in ways that operate within data-driven guardrails while advancing innovation and human well-being and prosperity.
At the 2025 Utah AI Summit, Gov. Spencer Cox launched Utah’s Pro-Human AI Initiative. The initiative is built on two principles:
- AI must be human-guided — it should protect dignity, preserve agency and ensure individuals remain in control of the tools that shape their work and lives.
- AI must be human-enhancing — AI should empower people with better tools, strengthen communities through accessible innovation, and enable problem-solving at unprecedented scale.
Utah is actively advancing work on these principles across six pillars, including academic research and development, industry innovation, learning and education, public protection, state government deployment, and workforce empowerment. This work is guided by a Pro-Human AI Task Force of cross-sector leaders, charged with translating principles into tangible impact.
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Utah is paving the way in AI regulation by implementing balanced policies. The state has established the Utah Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy to study AI’s impacts and promote responsible innovation and reasonable guardrails.
Recent laws require transparency in generative AI, protect residents from non-consensual deepfakes, ensure trustworthy digital content and expand libel and slander laws to include AI. Additionally, Utah’s laws strengthen enforcement against AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM), underscoring its commitment to public protection. And we are just getting started.
In June, Utah joined the bipartisan RAISE U.S. initiative, which has committed $500 million in private funding to AI-proof the American workforce. Utah was named one of four states nationally as leaders in preparing for the AI economy. We’re taking that role seriously by serving as a proving ground for outcome-driven workforce-readiness pilot programs.
That work is already showing results. Cox announced the statewide AI Moonshot Challenge at the Nucleus Institute’s State of Innovation Conference, pairing public and private funding to support breakthrough research that benefits everyone. Talent Ready Utah is launching a new workforce credential this summer to ensure graduates entering AI-affected fields have the fluency they need.
AI adoption is resulting in a more efficient state government. Utah has adopted Google Gemini for state employees, with 72% reporting weekly time savings, and 40 AI projects active across state agencies. The Utah System of Higher Education, supported by a dedicated task force, is committed to equipping students with pro-human AI skills. The Utah State Board of Education has outlined principles for human-centered AI in classrooms.
Looking ahead, Utah plans to launch the Elevation Awards later this summer to recognize businesses that combine innovation with this pro-human approach. Utah aims to responsibly embrace AI to elevateall people. And we look forward to continuing that conversation at the 2026 Utah AI Summit on Dec. 8, 2026, at the Grand America Hotel. AI is scaling, and Utah is committed to making sure it happens the right way.
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Learn more about Utah’s Pro-Human AI Initiative at prohumanai.utah.gov.