HB 286: Government Overreach in AI Development

Artificial intelligence is moving fast, and Utah lawmakers are right to care about safety and kids. But HB 286 takes Utah in the wrong direction. It leans on broad paperwork mandates, public disclosures, and big penalties for developers. The result is predictable. Companies either slow down useful updates, over filter anything that could be controversial, or decide Utah is not worth the risk. That means fewer helpful tools for families, teachers, and teens, especially in areas like learning support and mental health resources. 

That is why Libertas Institute opposes House Bill 286 from Rep. Doug Fiefia.

The bill also creates legal and practical problems that Utah does not need. It pressures developers to publish detailed safety and child protection plans and to keep publishing new summaries as models change. That is not just transparency. It compels public narratives about internal risk judgments, backed by million-dollar penalties. The triggers are also vague. Terms like “severe emotional distress” and “material modification” are not precise enough for a high-stakes enforcement regime. When the rules are unclear and the penalties are severe, the safe move is not better safety. The safe move is over-compliance, slower iteration, and more restrictions for minors. That backfires on the very people the bill claims to help.

Utah should oppose HB 286 because it abandons the state’s best playbook. Utah has been strongest when it focuses on real harms, clear duties, and room to experiment and learn. This bill moves toward a precautionary system that chills innovation first and sorts out the details later. If lawmakers want better protection for kids and the public, they should pursue standards that are outcome based, technology neutral, and workable in the real world. HB 286 is not that bill.