Salt Lake City, Utah — November 13, 2025
As Utah prepares to host its 2025 AI Summit, themed “Utah’s Pro-Human Leadership in the Age of AI”, the spotlight is already turning to the day before the main event. On December 1, nonprofit SeedAI will run a pre-summit workshop and hackathon, designed to help Utah build a practical, community-driven approach to AI adoption.
The summit, held December 1–2, 2025, at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, is hosted by the Utah Department of Commerce and its Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy, along with the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity (GOEO) and the Nucleus Institute. The two-day event brings together leaders from government, business, and academia to explore how AI can serve people, empower workers, and strengthen communities—while aligning with Utah’s ethical and societal values.
“This approach creates technology that reflects our values and enhances our lives,” said Governor Spencer Cox. “By aligning technological progress with community values, Utah sets an example for the nation. Innovations should improve quality of life, drive prosperity, and strengthen connections within society—not replace them.”
SeedAI’s Pre-Summit Workshop: Turning Ideas into Action
TechBuzz sat down this week with SeedAI’s founder and CEO, Austin Carson, who founded the nonprofit to make cutting-edge AI accessible and actionable. On December 1, 2025, Carson and his SeedAI colleagues are leading a hackathon-style workshop aimed at Utah businesses and organizations. The program will select five Utah companies to be “workshopped” on stage, giving them an opportunity to explore high-leverage ways to integrate AI into their operations or solve complex business challenges.
“A key goal is to help companies move from curiosity to action,” said Carson. “We provide practical guidance, frameworks, and collaboration with technology partners so businesses can see real, actionable results in their workflow.”
The December 1 Pre-Summit Workshop is designed to foster a multi-stakeholder approach, bringing together policymakers, educators, and tech leaders to align incentives, share knowledge, and define Utah’s statewide AI playbook. “It’s about creating a sustainable ecosystem where businesses, universities, and government can collaborate effectively,” Carson shared.
Confirmed participants include universities like UVU and the University of Utah, along with executives from leading tech organizations. “This workshop sets the foundation for meaningful engagement,” Carson added. “We’re not just building AI systems—we’re building a framework for responsible, human-centered AI in Utah.”
Connecting to the December 2 Summit
The pre-summit activities feed directly into the December 2 Utah AI Summit, which will feature Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the Emmy-winning actor, filmmaker, and entrepreneur. Known for films such as Inception and 500 Days of Summer, Gordon-Levitt is also the founder of HITRECORD, an online community dedicated to creative collaboration. He has been an outspoken advocate for AI safety, particularly for technologies affecting children, making his keynote a natural fit for Utah’s pro-human theme.
Other summit highlights include a fireside conversation with Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince, sessions on workforce development in the age of AI, and discussions of emerging AI applications across biotechnology, finance, sustainable energy, and education. Key speakers include Luis Benavides (Neighborites CEO), Sen. Kirk Cullimore, Caleb Hicks (School AI CEO), and Nick Hafen (BYU AI Lawyer), among others.
Jefferson Moss, Executive Director of GOEO and the Nucleus Institute, emphasized the summit’s collaborative approach. “We are excited to assemble a diverse group of experts and stakeholders. This summit will highlight Utah’s commitment to AI and generate actionable insights and collaborations to shape the future of technology and its impact on our workforce.”
Why Utah? Why Now?
Utah’s strategy combines top-down leadership and bottom-up experimentation. From SeedAI’s pre-summit workshop to the statewide discussions at the summit, the state is focused on ensuring AI is ethical, responsible, and locally grounded. Companies engaging in the workshop will be guided on practical steps, regulatory considerations, and collaborative frameworks to maximize both innovation and societal benefit.
Carson notes, “This isn’t about waiting to see what regulations come down. It’s about being a case study for doing AI right, working with state agencies, universities, and other tech partners to create a shared vision.”
By running the Pre-Summit Workshop ($30 per person), Washington DC-based SeedAI is helping Utah lead by example—building a replicable model for states and communities seeking to harness AI responsibly while driving economic and social value. Businesses that wish to participate or be considered for one of the five spotlight sessions can inform SeedAI at registration.
The Pre-Summit Workshop schedule:
- 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM: Check-in & Registration
- 9:00 AM – 9:40 AM: Welcome and Live Demonstrations
- 9:40 AM – 11:10 AM: Small Group Table Session 1
- 11:10 AM – 11:25 AM: Break
- 11:25 AM – 12:25 PM: Small Group Table Session 2
- 12:25 PM – 1:10 PM: Lunch
- 1:10 PM – 2:30 PM: Small Group Table Session 3
- 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM: Showcase
- 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM: Networking
The 2025 Utah AI Summit is a collaborative effort by the Utah Department of Commerce, its Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy, the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, and the Nucleus Institute.
See TechBuzz coverage of the inaugural 2024 Utah AI Summit.
Learn more about Seed.AI at seedai.org.
Register for the Pre-Summit Workshop (December 1-$30) here.
Register for the 2025 Utah AI Summit (December 2) here.
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