AGP Executive Report

AI Infrastructure: Utah’s 2nd District candidates Blake Moore and Peter Crosby agreed that data-center developers need more transparency and public input, but differed on local control and oversight of the proposed Stratos project. The debate comes amid growing scrutiny: Utah has at least 48 operating data centers, while seven under construction are expected to use more power than all current facilities combined. Responsible AI: The University of Utah’s One-U initiative marked three years of work and highlighted Redtail, a new AI supercomputer intended to support research and education statewide. Utah Science: University of Utah researchers found that aspens’ drought history can shape the chemical defenses in new leaves, offering fresh insight into a tree species declining across the West. Medical Technology: Electric-aircraft company Beta tested radiopharmaceutical deliveries in Utah, exploring how aircraft could transport medicines with short shelf lives. Research Funding: Utah Tech University received a $1 million federal grant to study a rare childhood neurological disorder.

MedTech: Salt Lake City’s Epitel, which makes AI-driven wireless brain-monitoring technology, named its first CFO as it expands after a Series B funding round and FDA innovation challenge selection. University Research: Utah Tech University received a $1 million federal grant to study a rare childhood neurological disorder. University of Utah physicists also contributed to the IceCube project, whose founder won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics. Data Center Debate: Utah’s AI infrastructure boom is meeting local resistance, with Iron County weighing new rules and rural communities pushing back over data centers’ impacts. Science & Environment: A new documentary highlights Great Salt Lake decline and possible health risks, while University of Utah researchers say Salt Lake City needs a “Code Red” plan for extreme heat. Medical Technology: BETA completed Utah eIPP operations aimed at advancing radiopharmaceutical delivery.

Electric Aviation: BETA tested all-electric cargo flights between Salt Lake City, Provo and Logan, moving medical supplies as part of Utah’s effort to develop advanced air mobility ahead of the 2034 Olympics. Research: Utah Tech won its first NIH research grant, more than $1 million to study 4H leukodystrophy using zebrafish, gene-editing tools and drug screening. Data Center Rules: Iron County commissioners are weighing regulations before a November deadline, while Logan’s draft rules would limit facility size, water use and power demand. The debate reflects growing tensions over data centers’ local impacts and economic promise. AI and Infrastructure: Utahns at a citizens’ forum urged policymakers to consult experts and reflect public values on AI. Meanwhile, LS Electric’s Utah-linked U.S. business secured a $138.5 million equipment contract for a Pennsylvania data center, part of more than $500 million in orders from Bloom Energy.

Electric Aviation: BETA completed five days of Utah test flights with its all-electric ALIA, moving medical cargo between Salt Lake City, Provo and Logan under a federal pilot program. The trials test whether electric aircraft can deliver critical supplies faster and more affordably. Drone Technology: Salt Lake City-based Red Cat launched Red Cat Aerial, uniting its drone teams and unveiling TRICHON, a long-endurance aircraft for surveillance missions. AI in Healthcare: Utah is testing AI-generated prescriptions, raising questions about how the technology could shape hospital care. Research: University of Utah physicists contributed to the IceCube project, whose founder, Francis Halzen, received the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics. Data-Center Rules: Iron County’s planning panel advanced proposed data-center rules despite calls from residents and tribal leaders to delay.

Data Center Rules: Iron County’s planning panel advanced data-center regulations without changes, despite residents’ calls for stronger water protections, independent studies and enforceable limits. County commissioners will discuss the proposal Monday, but won’t vote. Great Salt Lake: A new documentary spotlights the shrinking lake’s potential health effects, while University of Utah researchers warn that lakebed dust is already an air pollutant. Researchers say arsenic in the dust remains unproven; more than 800 square miles of lakebed are exposed. Health Research: A yearlong trial involving University of Utah researchers found personalized walking adjustments eased knee-arthritis pain about as much as medication and slowed cartilage loss. AI in Utah: Utah researchers are working to keep people in control as AI advances, while the state is testing algorithm-written acne prescriptions—an experiment that puts the safety and oversight of automated medical advice in focus.

Extreme Heat: University of Utah researchers found unsheltered people in the Salt Lake Valley face prolonged dangerous temperatures, with limited access to shade, water and restrooms; their report urges stronger protections. AI in Health Care: Utah is testing algorithm-written acne prescriptions, a first-of-its-kind state experiment that puts AI’s role in medical care under scrutiny. Data Center Debate: Tooele County tabled a draft data-center ordinance as Utah communities weigh the facilities’ water and power demands; research finds most Utahns oppose one near their homes. Space Science: University of Utah physicists contributed to the IceCube neutrino observatory, whose founder won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics. Water & Climate: New research finds Western droughts are more connected than previously thought, with Utah among the states affected; separate University of Utah work is probing dust risks around the Great Salt Lake.

Data Center Backlash: Mona residents say a 3-million-square-foot data center was approved without notifying nearby landowners. USU research finds 68% of Utahns oppose facilities near their homes, citing water use and lack of public input. Bonneville Record: The hydrogen-powered JCB Hydromax posted a provisional 406.320 mph average at Utah’s salt flats, a new mark for the technology. Wildfire Readiness: University of Utah experts say Utah needs stronger plans and funding for work before fires and recovery afterward, not just suppression. IceCube Research: Utah physicists’ contributions to the neutrino observatory drew notice as its founder received the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics. AI in Health Care: Utah’s pilot testing AI-generated prescriptions is expanding, while questions about FDA oversight and how the tools are evaluated remain.

Public Health: Utah has linked four deaths to products marketed as “kratom-free” cat’s claw supplements after tests found potent, controlled kratom-derived compounds; investigators are working to identify other brands and manufacturers. Space Science: St. George Children’s Museum opened a hands-on exhibit inspired by NASA’s Artemis program, with a lunar lander activity and mission control station for young visitors. AI in Health Care: Utah’s expanding regulatory sandbox is testing AI prescription services, including a pilot for some acne treatments; the state says independent evaluators will assess safety and performance. Surveillance Technology: A Utah advocacy group is pressing UDOT to end its contract with Flock, arguing that doing so could quickly curb automated license-plate cameras on state roads. Clean Energy: Plug-in solar is gaining traction after Utah became the first state to legalize balcony panels in 2025; a South Salt Lake home is already using the systems to generate electricity. Great Salt Lake: Utah researchers are moving closer to answers about dust from the shrinking lake, a growing concern for communities downwind.

Surveillance Tech: Utah Civic Compact is urging UDOT to cancel its Flock license-plate camera contract, arguing the agency can act faster than lawmakers to curb roadside surveillance. AI in Health Care: Utah’s Nolla Health has begun piloting AI-written acne prescriptions for adults—the first state-authorized program for AI-issued initial prescriptions. Doctors review every prescription at launch; broader use depends on safety results and state approval. Space Science: University of Utah physicists contribute to IceCube, the Antarctic neutrino observatory recognized in the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics. Clean Energy: A hydrogen-powered car that set a 406-mph land-speed record at Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats drew attention at UCLA, showcasing technology also being developed for tractors. AI Infrastructure: Oracle used trucked natural gas for more than a year at a site outside Salt Lake City while awaiting permanent pipeline connections, a costly workaround as data-center power demand grows.

Data Center Debate: Tooele County’s planning commission tabled its draft data center ordinance after more than four hours of discussion, extending a public process the county says must be completed before it accepts developer applications. AI in Health Care: Utah has allowed startup Nolla Health to issue AI-generated acne prescriptions without a doctor’s direct oversight, opening a first-of-its-kind path as the state tests more health-care AI. AI Governance: Gov. Spencer Cox’s new executive order calls for a “pro-human” approach to AI in state government, including training and integration across agencies. University Research: University of Utah scientists identified how bacteria detect a viral attack and trigger an immune defense—a finding that could help researchers develop more effective virus-based treatments for antibiotic-resistant infections. Water Science: New research finds drought and wet conditions often move together across Western watersheds; California and the Great Basin, which includes much of Utah, had synchronized runoff 65% of the time, complicating water planning.

Forest Tech: Park City is testing portable kilns to turn forest debris into biochar during fuels work in Thaynes Canyon, aiming to reduce smoke while storing carbon. AI in Health Care: Utah has authorized Nolla Health to pilot AI-written acne prescriptions, with outside evaluators reviewing tools in the state’s expanding health-care sandbox. Gov. Spencer Cox’s new order also directs state agencies to take a “pro-human” approach to AI. Data Center Debate: Iron County data-center rules are headed to a public hearing as residents and tribal leaders seek more time; a statewide poll found most Utahns oppose building more centers. Research and Water: University of Utah researchers are investigating dust from the shrinking Great Salt Lake, while a separate study finds drought conditions often move in sync across the Great Basin and California, complicating water planning. Flight Innovation: UDOT has demonstrated an all-electric aircraft, offering a glimpse of emerging technology for Utah transportation.

AI in Health Care: Utah is the first state to let an AI startup prescribe acne medication without a doctor’s direct oversight, expanding a health-tech pilot as questions grow about regulation and patient safety. Schools and Government: Utah districts are taking different approaches to classroom AI: Canyons allows it for high school students, while Provo is still developing its policy. Gov. Spencer Cox’s new order directs state agencies to adopt AI with human-centered safeguards and training. Data Center Debate: A statewide survey found nearly 76% of Utahns oppose building more data centers, citing concerns about water, power and whether the benefits justify the costs. Iron County residents and tribal leaders are also seeking more time to review proposed rules for large projects. Research and Energy: Scientists are narrowing in on the sources of dust from the shrinking Great Salt Lake. In Beaver County, Fervo Energy’s new podcast traces the company’s effort to build next-generation geothermal power at Cape Station.

AI in Health Care: Utah has authorized Nolla Health to pilot AI-generated initial prescriptions for acne, with physician involvement in the rollout. The company says it’s the first such state-approved U.S. program. AI in Government: Gov. Spencer Cox ordered state agencies to adopt a “pro-human” approach to AI, while a University of Utah hackathon drew 102 participants developing classroom tools, including real-time accessibility support. Utah Research: The U received $7.5 million in federal funding to search coal seams, mining waste and wastewater for critical minerals. Utah Tech landed its first NIH grant—just over $1 million—for research into a rare childhood neurological disorder. Electric Aviation: UDOT and partners demonstrated an all-electric aircraft in Utah, part of an effort to test future passenger, cargo and emergency services. Energy and Data Centers: Carbon County officials tabled a proposed technology park east of Wellington pending more information. Its first phase would include a 250-megawatt gas plant to power potential industrial tenants, including data centers.

Great Salt Lake Dust: University of Utah researchers are modeling how much dust comes from the shrinking lakebed and which areas produce it; early findings are expected next year, while health risks from airborne metals remain unclear. AI in Health Care: Utah has authorized Nolla Health to pilot AI-issued initial prescriptions for acne, expanding the state’s health-tech experiments even as questions grow about patient safety and federal oversight. Gov. Spencer Cox also ordered state agencies to train staff in AI and adopt tools under human-guided safeguards. Geothermal Power: Fervo Energy’s Cape Station in Beaver County has begun commercial operation, a major milestone for enhanced geothermal systems. Space Research: NASA’s SunRISE satellites, built at Utah State University’s Space Dynamics Laboratory, are complete; the mission is now scheduled to launch no earlier than mid-2027 to study solar bursts that can threaten satellites and astronauts.

Utah Pro-Human AI: Gov. Spencer Cox signed an executive order setting a “pro-human” framework for AI across state agencies, including AI literacy training, guardrails, and use of the State-Endorsed Digital Identity framework. AI Healthcare Oversight: Utah is also expanding its health AI pilots for prescription refills, acne, and women’s health, with outside groups evaluating tools while the companies being tested pay for the reviews. Local Tech & Data Centers: Logan City held a data center open house with Utah State University researchers, focusing on what residents want to avoid near homes and what regulations should cover next. State Cyber/IT Leadership: NASCIO named Utah CIO Alan Fuller as president for 2026-2027, highlighting Utah’s early AI and digital identity work. Utah Health Alerts: Salt Lake County urged flu shots early as hospitalizations rise ahead of schedule, with measles outbreaks elsewhere renewing vaccine urgency. STEM/Workforce: Mountainland Technical College set a record with 11 students earning all eight ASE certifications. Manufacturing Tech: Becton Dickinson announced a $19B U.S. investment tied to federal milestones, including expansion at its Sandy, Utah site.

Utah Health AI Pilots: Utah’s Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy signed agreements with Intermountain Health and University of Utah Health to test AI tools in doctor workflows, including faster medication refills plus expanded dermatology and postpartum services, with third-party oversight. Broadband & Voice Tech: GFiber selected Alianza One to power GFiber Phone, bringing cloud-based voice services to homes and businesses across much of its Utah footprint. Enterprise AI Delivery: ModelOp teamed with AHEAD to help companies move AI from pilots to production with governance and lifecycle controls. Cyber/Trust Infrastructure: DigiCert reported strong growth for its Trust Lifecycle Manager as enterprises automate certificate management amid shorter certificate lifespans and outage fears. Directed-Energy Defense: The Pentagon picked four systems (laser and microwave) for a homeland counter-drone pilot to test real-world performance and sustainment at U.S. bases. Utah Workforce Pressure: Utah’s tech colleges released new waitlist counts: 8,055 students stuck in queue, including 5,634 adults seeking training. Public Health Alert: Utah officials warned of fatal overdoses tied to illegal kratom/“cat’s claw” products containing MGPI and MGM-15. Tech in Healthcare Policy: NIH grant terminations are under fire after researchers say funding was cut over “DEI-related” research claims. Cooling for Chips: HF Sinclair launched Innovate DTC25, a direct-to-chip cooling fluid aligned with OCP heat-transfer specs. Utah Business & Ingredients: Capsoil acquired Red Mesa Science & Refining to scale Liposoll liposomal delivery ingredient manufacturing.