Utah lawmakers plan classroom rules and deep‑fake bill to balance AI benefits and student safety

A Utah lawmaker who served on the state’s AI task force told a policy panel she will press for classroom safeguards and bills this upcoming legislative session to address deepfakes and 'AI companions' while also preparing students for future jobs.

Representative Ariel DeFe said the education proposal grew out of the state AI office and learning lab and that it aims to "bring all these people together"—districts, institutions and private partners—to set how schools will both protect children from harms and prepare them for the workforce. "We have a portrait of an AI-infused learner," DeFe said, describing efforts to coordinate programs and policies.

DeFe said she will introduce a deepfake bill and an "AI companions" bill in the next session and described the "Balanced Technology and Classrooms Act" to require local education agencies and school districts to discuss whether their classroom technology use is properly balanced. "I want all the districts, all the LEAs to have the conversation," she said, framing the measure as a discussion-driving statute rather than a rigid mandate.

Panelists emphasized the human role in classrooms. DeFe said her main focus is ensuring teachers remain the human point of contact and that technology serves as a tool that supports critical thinking, reading and writing rather than replacing essential instructional relationships.

Next steps: DeFe said the measures will be introduced in the upcoming session and that informal coordination among districts and stakeholders continues while the legislature and executive branch refine policy options.