Utah House Bill 218 (Digital Skills Amendments) was signed into law by Governor Spencer J. Cox on 18 March 2026. The law mandates a required grade 7 or 8 Digital Skills course that includes AI literacy alongside cybersecurity and digital privacy. AI literacy concepts are embedded in core standards from kindergarten (foundational concepts such as “AI is a computer; it’s not a person”) through middle school (algorithms, algorithmic impact, critical evaluation of AI outputs). Implementation timeline gives districts the 2026–27 school year to prepare, with full rollout targeted for 2027–28. No dedicated per-school funding is specified in the bill; funding flows through existing district allocations. Utah also passed eight additional AI-related bills in the 2026 session, and the Utah Board of Higher Education adopted a statewide AI strategic direction covering workforce readiness across public colleges and universities.
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