New executive order sets nation-leading standards for responsible, human-guided AI deployment, workforce training and upskilling, and digital trust across state agencies.

The Big Picture

Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox has signed an executive order establishing a structured, pro-human framework for artificial intelligence integration across state government.

Signed October 30, 2026, the order advances Utah’s Pro-Human AI Initiative, established in December 2025. It directs state agencies to protect human agency, data privacy, and public trust while using AI to improve public services and operate more efficiently.

Effective state government deployment of AI is one of the seven pillars of Utah’s Pro-Human AI Initiative.

What’s Happening

The executive order establishes responsibilities across state government:

• Department of Government Operations: Leads statewide AI-driven process improvements, establishes technical safeguards against cybersecurity threats and rogue AI agents, and implements the State-Endorsed Digital Identity (SEDI) Framework as a privacy-preserving trust infrastructure.
• Division of Technology Services: In coordination with the Division of Human Resource Management, develops comprehensive AI literacy training for state agency employees and specialized training for designated agency AI leads.
• State agencies: Evaluate cost-effective AI opportunities, identify training and upskilling needs, investigate citizen-facing workflows, and maintain human-in-the-loop review for determinations affecting individual rights.

Agencies must also be transparent about how AI systems are used—including their inputs, outputs, and roles in decision-making—and collaborate by sharing resources, best practices, and findings.

The Department of Government Operations will submit an annual progress report to the Governor beginning July 1, 2027.

Why It Matters

The order is designed to ensure that innovation and safety advance together. It positions AI as a tool to strengthen human judgment and expand the capacity of state employees—not replace accountability or human responsibility.

“The choice between innovation and safety in government is a false one,” said Gov. Cox. “AI represents a generational opportunity to better serve Utahns, but technology must always remain accountable to the people.”

The framework also emphasizes workforce development. Through broad AI literacy training and specialized upskilling, employees will be better equipped to use AI effectively, identify responsible applications, and grow alongside the technology.

Its focus on technical safeguards, privacy-preserving digital identity, and transparent decision-making is intended to help Utahns access faster, more effective public services without compromising liberty, privacy, or human dignity.

The Bottom Line

Utah is setting a statewide standard for AI that is both ambitious and accountable: use the technology to improve government, keep people in control, protect personal information, and make public-sector decision-making more transparent.

As Margaret Woolley Busse, Commissioner of the Utah Department of Commerce, and Jefferson Moss, Commissioner of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, said in a joint statement, the order empowers agencies to use AI dynamically and efficiently while preserving public trust, transparency, and accountability.

Learn more about Utah’s Pro-Human AI Initiative and the executive order.