The 2025 Utah AI Summit brought together government, business, and academic leaders to explore how AI can serve people, not replace them. Co-hosted by the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity (GOEO), the Office of Commerce, the Nucleus Institute, and the Office of AI Policy, the event spotlighted Utah’s pro-human approach to responsible innovation.
Attendees heard from top industry and academic leaders who shared practical guidance for businesses, insights on workforce development, and coordinated efforts to shape Utah’s AI future.
Utah Is a National Role Model
Governor Spencer Cox kicked off the summit by emphasizing Utah’s people-first approach to AI — using emerging technology to enhance human capacity, not replace it.
“Pro-human AI empowers workers with better tools, strengthens communities through accessible innovation, and enables problem-solving at an unprecedented scale,” said Gov. Cox.
He also encouraged leaders to expand opportunities that help students connect real workforce needs with hands-on learning earlier in their education.
Utah’s Pro-human Approach to AI
Gov. Cox also unveiled an initiative that calls on companies to build AI ecosystems that keep people in the driver’s seat, strengthen learning and agency, and broaden opportunity.
The state will support this work by establishing a new academic consortium, investing in major workforce initiatives, and collaborating with strategic partners to accelerate responsible, human-centered innovation.
“We are at a moment of reckoning … we must decide to shape the future instead of letting it shape us,” Gov. Cox said.
Several resources will help advance this initiative:
- The Nucleus Institute brings together universities, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to turn ideas into real-world solutions.
- A statewide higher education directive was recently approved by the Utah Board of Higher Education to integrate AI across Utah’s public institutions.
- A new state award program recognizing top “pro-human” AI companies, with the first winners to be announced at next year’s Utah AI Summit.
- The newly formed Office for AI Policy, Regulation & Innovation, the first of its kind in the nation.
Key Takeaways for Utah Businesses
The summit featured keynote addresses from:
- Matthew Prince, CEO of Cloudflare, on AI’s biggest promises and pressure points.
- Chris Malachowsky, co-founder of NVIDIA, on the future of human-centered AI.
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt, actor, filmmaker, and founder of HITRECORD, on the importance of responsible AI development for the safety and well-being of children.
Throughout the day, business leaders highlighted how AI is reshaping operations, competition, and evolving workforce needs.
“AI helps companies hire more people, operate more efficiently, and grow,” said Dan Caffee, CEO of Voze. “This creates economic value across the entire region.”
The Bottom Line
The 2025 Utah AI Summit demonstrated our state’s leadership in shaping a responsible path forward for artificial intelligence — and highlighted a clear message: AI is accelerating opportunities for people, not replacing them.
Across industry, government, and academia, Utah is demonstrating how responsible innovation can strengthen companies, expand opportunities, and foster long-term economic resilience.
Utah isn’t waiting for what’s next. We’re building it.
