The Utah Board of Higher Education today launched a statewide Artificial Intelligence Task Force to drive coordination across public colleges and universities, industry and government, and advance Utah’s strategic priorities for AI in education. As its first action, the task force will lead statewide work to advance a university-issued AI Workforce Credential. The initiative will be carried out in partnership with Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox’s AI Pro-Human Committee, Utah System of Higher Education institutions, Talent Ready Utah, and statewide employers.
Governor Cox first announced the AI Workforce Credential during his remarks at the Utah State of Innovation Conference on April 30, 2026, emphasizing the state’s efforts to prepare graduates for the rapidly evolving workforce. It’s designed to complement students’ existing technical and durable skills by adding AI credentialing within their field of study. More than 50,000 graduates from Utah’s public colleges and universities in the classes of 2025, 2026 and 2027 will be eligible to earn the AI Workforce Credential at no cost beginning July 1, 2026, in a statewide online learning environment.
“Utah’s economy is strong, our workforce is strong and we work hard to keep it that way,” Governor Cox said. “In Utah, our leaders are thinking big, solving big problems, and working at the speed of industry. That’s why Talent Ready Utah, the Board of Higher Education’s AI Task Force, and my AI Pro-Human Committee have created a university-issued AI Workforce Credential, designed with local employers for Utah students.”
Beyond the credential, the task force will develop actionable recommendations for Utah’s public colleges and universities to prepare students for an AI-enabled workforce, support the responsible use of AI in teaching and research, and strengthen alignment between education and industry.
The task force includes 11 statewide partners representing business, education and government. Additional members may be added as the task force’s work progresses.
AI Task Force members:
- Cydni Tetro, Utah Board of Higher Education (Task Force Chair)
- Vic Hockett, Associate Commissioner of Talent Ready Utah, Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education (Staff Lead)
- TJ Bliss, Associate Commissioner for Academic Affairs, Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education
- TBD, Director of Artificial Intelligence Integration, Talent Ready Utah
- Jefferson Moss, Executive Director, Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity
- Charles Musgraves, Dean of John and Marcia Price College of Engineering, University of Utah
- Barclay Burns, Chief AI Officer and Assistant Dean of Smith College of Engineering and Technology, Utah Valley University
- Tim Kapp, Adjunct Professor of Computer Science (AI and Data Science), Brigham Young University
- Aaron Davis, Executive Director, Atwood Innovation Plaza, Utah Tech University
- Alice Schwarze, Head of Research at the Office for Artificial Intelligence Policy, Utah Department of Commerce
- Jami Hughes, Deputy Chief Information and Security Officer, Zions Bancorporation
“The Utah Board of Higher Education recognizes that artificial intelligence is reshaping the world, and the board is leading efforts to ensure our students are prepared for an AI-driven economy by building on the innovative work already underway at Utah’s colleges and universities,” said Cydni Tetro, chair of the Artificial Intelligence Task Force. “This task force brings together higher education, industry, workforce and public-sector leaders to translate that direction into practical, actionable recommendations that help Utah lead nationally in human-centered artificial intelligence. The AI Workforce Credential is just one way the Utah System of Higher Education is preparing graduates for the future of work.”
The task force was first authorized by the Board in a December 2025 resolution to guide the systemwide integration of AI. Its work aligns with the Board’s strategic imperatives on artificial intelligence to: equip every student with pro-human AI skills and workforce readiness at scale, harness AI to transform education and research, and reimagine higher education for an AI-accelerated economy.
Additional details on how eligible graduates can enroll and complete the AI Workforce Credential will be shared in the coming weeks.