Utah Gov. Spencer Cox recently unveiled a $10 million “pro-human” AI initiative aimed at preparing the state’s workforce for rapid advances in artificial intelligence while expanding AI use across state government.

Speaking at Utah’s first AI Summit, hosted by the Department of Commerce in Salt Lake City, Cox said the effort will unite industry, government, academia, and public policy leaders in a statewide push to ensure residents are “AI ready.”

A central component of the plan is the creation of a “pro-human AI academic consortium” that Cox said will “drive breakthroughs in human-centered innovation and advance human flourishing,” according to The Salt Lake Tribune. The initiative will fund development of AI-focused curricula for both higher education and K-12 schools, reinforcing Cox’s view that a human-first strategy begins with investing in people.

Cox emphasized that “pro-human” means ensuring AI adapts to human needs — not the other way around — and that Utah’s workforce must be equipped to use the technology responsibly and effectively.

He also used the summit to voice criticism of federal attempts to restrict state-level AI regulation, arguing that while overregulation can stifle innovation, states must retain the ability to address harmful uses of AI.

“The government should not be regulating the development of AI, but the minute you decide to use those tools to give my kid a sexualized chatbot, then it’s my business, and it’s the government’s business,” Cox said. “And Congress should not be stopping us from being able to do that.”

The governor signaled that Utah’s 2026 legislative session will introduce a slate of new AI laws focused on preventing monopolistic behavior by large tech companies and mitigating harms linked to AI and social media.

With this launch, Utah became one of the first U.S. states to commit significant funding toward a coordinated, statewide AI-readiness strategy grounded in human-centered values.