AI · RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE
The University of Utah will begin accepting Redtail AI Factory allocation requests on November 9 for the Winter 2027 quarter. Researchers can request GPU or CPU computing time through the Center for High Performance Computing; this is access to computing resources, not a cash grant. Applicants must be CHPC principal investigators, and requests are reviewed by project.
HEALTHCARE AI · STATE OVERSIGHT
Utah’s Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy has signed five healthcare-related agreements and established a network of six independent third-party evaluators. The agreements include three targeted pilots and two master agreements that set terms for future pilots. Evaluators can review plans and assess evidence while pilots run; the state retains decisions about approval, continuation or modification.
HEALTHCARE AI · FEDERAL FUNDING
Salt Lake City-based MTN secured a $2.34 million National Institutes of Health SBIR Fast Track award for a privacy-preserving platform that maps how data is structured and connected across fragmented systems. Healthcare is the company’s initial focus, where information often sits across electronic health records, monitoring devices, clinical notes and legacy databases.
AI · HEALTHCARE POLICY
Utah added healthcare as the seventh pillar of its Pro-Human AI Initiative and introduced three healthcare pilot programs. The pilots will operate with third-party evaluation intended to measure usefulness and consumer protection as the state tests narrower, supervised applications of AI in care delivery.
NUCLEAR ENERGY · AI INFRASTRUCTURE
Valar Atomics has submitted a preliminary federal land application connected to Project Beehive, a proposed nuclear-powered computing and manufacturing campus near Price. The Bureau of Land Management confirmed that the initial application covers approximately 9,000 acres of public land, and Valar has secured approval to lease more than 640 acres of state trust land in Carbon County.
PHYSICAL AI · AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS
Mendon-based Autonomous Solutions Inc. received a $225 million investment from SoftBank Group. The companies also formed a separately capitalized joint venture to develop and commercialize autonomous construction equipment for large infrastructure projects; the amount invested in the joint venture was not disclosed.
DEFENSE · AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS
Bluffdale-based Vector announced that it was selected as a top-performing competitor in the federal Drone Dominance Program and is scheduled to receive orders for up to 5,000 unmanned systems. The company also received orders for its high-voltage electronic safe-and-arm device and says an initial Phase II order is already in hand.
AI INFRASTRUCTURE · ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Meta announced another expansion of its Eagle Mountain data-center campus, bringing its total Utah investment above $3 billion. The company says the project will support more than 1,200 construction workers at peak and more than 300 data-center jobs once the expansion is complete.
CYBERSECURITY · AI GOVERNANCE
Lehi-based DigiCert released AI Trust Manager for general availability on September 15. The system is designed to discover AI agents inside an organization, assign portable cryptographic identities, connect each agent to an accountable owner, define its authorized activities and revoke its credentials when trust changes.
ENERGY · AI INFRASTRUCTURE
Fervo Energy signed a 396-megawatt power purchase agreement with Google for electricity from Cape Station in southwest Utah. Google also has an option to add approximately 600 megawatts, potentially bringing its total purchase to nearly one gigawatt by June 2030.
AI · POLICY
The Governor’s Office of Economic Development and the Utah Department of Commerce launched a statewide program recognizing companies using AI to strengthen workers, communities and consumers. Categories cover workforce elevation, community advancement and accountable AI design.
AI · TALENT
UK-based Searchable opened its first U.S. location in Salt Lake City with two former Scrunch AI employees. Sitecore acquired Scrunch in June in a deal Bloomberg reported at $225 million.
