In a recent opinion editorial published in the National Review, Governor Spence Cox, along with two of his Executive Cabinet members, Margaret Woolley Busse, Executive Director of the Utah Department of Commerce, and Jefferson Moss, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, advocates for a national approach to artificial intelligence (AI) that is explicitly pro-human, emphasizing the need to protect families, workers, and human agency.
The authors highlight several key points:
Call for a National AI Framework: The article stresses the necessity of a strong national AI framework, especially in light of recent federal moves to regulate AI and remain globally competitive. However, the authors warn that innovation must not come at the cost of human well-being, particularly for children.
Lessons from Social Media: Drawing parallels to the unchecked rise of social media, the authors note the resulting “soaring rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and loneliness” among youth, arguing that AI could have even more profound and personal impacts if left unregulated. They caution, “We cannot afford to repeat the mistakes we made with social media.”
Emerging AI Harms: The document details current dangers, such as AI companions targeting teens with romantic or sexual content, deepfakes, and the exploitation of vulnerabilities at scale. The authors state, “AI tools can mimic human relationships, exploit emotional vulnerabilities, and manipulate at a level of personalization never before possible.”
The Pro-Human AI Initiative: In response, the authors introduce Utah’s Pro-Human AI Initiative, a strategy aiming to ensure that AI strengthens human capabilities rather than replacing them. This initiative is based on two principles:
Human-guided
This core element asks us to prioritize human leadership in the age of AI—ensuring that AI remains understandable in its function, accountable for its impact, and adaptable to human needs rather than the other way around.
Human-enhancing
This core element treats AI as an amplifier of human potential by focusing on creating a value-based AI ecosystem that is pioneering in its vision, empowering in its outcome, and connective in how it brings people and ideas together.
Regulation and Innovation: Utah demonstrates that regulatory guardrails can coexist with rapid innovation. The state’s Office of AI Policy, the first of its kind in the nation, allows for real-world testing of AI tools with transparency and measurable outcomes, fostering both public trust and innovation. The authors claim, “Guardrails do not slow innovation. Done right, they can accelerate it.”
Pro-Human is Pro-Innovation: The authors assert that being pro-human is not anti-technology, but rather a reaffirmation of American values: “America’s greatest strength has never been its output; it has always been its people.”
Call to Action: The document concludes with a clear directive: “If we want AI to elevate humanity, and if we want the United States to lead the world, the path is clear: protect children first, keep humans in charge, and build technology that strengthens rather than replaces us.”
Utah is positioned as a national leader with its Pro-Human AI approach, and the authors urge the rest of America to follow suit.
