NEWS RELEASE: Gov. Cox Signs Executive Order Establishing Utah’s Pro-Human Approach to AI in State Government

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

SALT LAKE CITY (Oct. 30, 2026) — Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox today signed an executive order establishing a structured, pro-human framework for artificial intelligence (AI) integration across state government. The order advances the Pro-Human AI Initiative, established in December 2025, by directing state agencies to maintain rigorous safeguards for human agency, data privacy and trust while leveraging AI to enhance public services and improve efficiency.

Effective state government deployment of AI is one of the seven pillars of the Pro-Human AI initiative. Under the new order, the Utah state government will mandate AI literacy training for the workforce, direct agencies to utilize AI to streamline internal processes and radically improve citizen-facing applications, implement technical guardrails to mitigate security risks, and use the State-Endorsed Digital Identity (SEDI) Framework as a strategic trust infrastructure.

“The choice between innovation and safety in government is a false one,” said Governor Cox. “AI represents a generational opportunity to better serve Utahns, but technology must always remain accountable to the people. By ensuring our approach is strictly human-guided and human-enhancing, Utah is demonstrating how state government can lead the nation in deploying cutting-edge technology while preserving individual liberty, privacy, and human dignity.”

The executive order outlines specific roles and responsibilities across state entities:

• Department of Government Operations (DGO/GovOps): Leads statewide AI-driven process improvements, establishes technical safeguards against cybersecurity threats and rogue AI agents, and implements the SEDI Framework for cryptographically verifiable digital credentials and privacy protection.
• Division of Technology Services (DTS): In coordination with the Division of Human Resource Management (DHRM), designs and implements a comprehensive AI literacy training strategy for all state agency employees and specialized training for agency AI leads.
• State Agencies: Evaluate cost-effective AI optimizations with a focus on training and upskilling opportunities that equip employees to grow alongside AI, actively investigate citizen-facing automated workflows with human-in-the-loop review for determinations affecting individual rights, and maintain full transparency regarding AI inputs and roles in decision-making.

“State government must exemplify both operational excellence and ethical responsibility as we adopt these powerful technologies,” said Marvin Dodge, Commissioner of the Utah Department of Government Operations and Pro-Human AI Task Force member. “Through comprehensive employee literacy, robust technical safeguards, and privacy-preserving digital identity frameworks, we are empowering our workforce to innovate safely and deliver faster, more transparent outcomes for all Utahns.”

In a joint statement from co-chairs of Utah’s Pro-Human AI Initiative, Margaret Woolley Busse, Commissioner of the Utah Department of Commerce, and Jefferson Moss, Commissioner of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, said, “Setting clear expectations for responsible, human-guided technology integration across state government is another vital action of Utah’s Pro-Human AI Initiative, which aims to stand up strategies infused with pro-human values in the state government’s AI deployment, as well as across six other pillar areas. By establishing these standards, state agencies are empowered to harness AI tools dynamically and efficiently while preserving public trust, transparency, and accountability.”

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

To learn more about Utah’s Pro-Human AI Initiative and Executive Order, visit prohumanai.utah.gov.

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