AGP Executive Report

Utah Data Center Fight: Kevin O’Leary’s Stratos hyperscale plan in Box Elder County is shrinking after backlash—locals cite water, energy, and noise concerns tied to the Great Salt Lake, while O’Leary blames misinformation and foreign influence claims. AI Policy Shakeup: A new Trump AI executive order is triggering CISA directives and a bipartisan push for a federal AI governance framework, as agencies move to secure systems and set rules for frontier models. Space Power Test (Idaho National Lab): Antares Nuclear’s microreactor hit “criticality,” a key step toward producing electricity for future lunar and deep-space missions. Utah Biotech Breakthrough: USU researchers report a cave-bacteria CRISPR system (Cas12a2) that can selectively target and destroy cancerous cells. Healthcare Tech in Utah: U of U Health is using AI to speed decisions for “Heal at Home,” helping clinicians transition more patients to hospital-level care at home. Local STEM & Industry: RAPID Lab at Hill AFB produced additively manufactured F-35 canopy training frames to close a maintenance training gap. Energy & Water: Feds say they’ll impose a 10-year Colorado River operating framework if states can’t agree, with new rules due by Oct. 1. Utah Wildlife Funding: Utah DWR allocated $5.1M to 33 wildlife projects for 2026-27.

AI Infrastructure & Water Politics: Kevin O’Leary’s Stratos AI data center fight in Box Elder County is still escalating—Utah Senate President Stuart Adams demanded a major footprint cut and more transparency, and O’Leary says he’ll halve the project area and commit to bird habitat protections and water-saving steps. Public Safety Tech: Brigham City and UDOT rolled out vehicle-to-everything signal preemption so emergency vehicles can get faster green lights, aiming to cut response delays at busy intersections. Health & Research Leadership: The University of Utah named David B. Larson as its new radiology chair, bringing Stanford radiology AI lab leadership to Salt Lake City. Energy & Policy: Maryland and Virginia are starting balcony plug-in solar options under new laws, a model that could spread to Utah as renters and homeowners look for lower bills. Space & Science: NOAA flagged strong geomagnetic storm conditions with aurora possible far south, while Utah’s aerospace and defense ecosystem keeps moving—Artemis III parts also recently left Utah en route to Florida. STEM in the Real World: JCB is targeting a 350 mph hydrogen land speed record attempt at Bonneville Salt Flats, returning to Utah for a new hydrogen combustion challenge.

Utah Data Centers: Kevin O’Leary’s Stratos AI data center plan in Box Elder County is getting cut back after Utah Senate President Stuart Adams demanded a 75% reduction—O’Leary now says the footprint will drop from 40,000 acres to about 20,000, with most remaining land set aside as open space, plus new water commitments for the Great Salt Lake and added environmental safeguards. School Tech Policy: A new wave of state laws targets cellphone use in schools, as researchers and public health voices debate whether bans help or just shift the problem. Smart Transportation: UDOT and Brigham City are using vehicle-to-everything tech for emergency signal preemption, aiming to get ambulances and fire trucks through intersections faster and safer. Biotech: Utah State researchers report progress on CRISPR approaches that can selectively kill cancer-related cells in lab and mouse studies. Public Health Tech: Utah’s VPN law for blocking minors from adult content is on hold while a federal lawsuit challenges how age-verification can work when VPNs hide location. Utah Innovation & Industry: Daz 3D released Daz Studio 6 with faster performance and new built-in AI help for creators.

Wildlife Funding: Utah’s Division of Wildlife Resources says the Species Protection Account will put $5.1M into 33 projects in 2026–27 to help prevent future Endangered Species Act listings. AI + Water Stress: A UN University report warns AI could drive major electricity use and water demand by 2030, adding to global resource strain. Colorado River Alarm: Researchers warn another dry winter could push the Colorado River basin toward a “crash,” with urgent calls to cut consumptive water use. Great Salt Lake + Data Centers: Kevin O’Leary’s planned hyperscale AI campus near the lake faces fierce local resistance, while Utah leaders push tighter development standards. Health Tech: Mayo Clinic and Microsoft are teaming up on a healthcare frontier AI model using de-identified clinical data. Utah Research + Devices: U of U researchers report a new smartwatch approach to estimate blood pressure continuously without a cuff. Space: Artemis III solid rocket boosters built in Utah have shipped to Florida for assembly. College Sports Policy: Senators hear arguments for national rules in the NIL and transfer portal era via the Protect College Sports Act. Semiconductor Pipeline: A new regional microelectronics education network (PINES) will connect Utah and other states to build workforce capacity.

Utah Data Center Showdown: Utah Senate President Stuart Adams is pressing Kevin O’Leary’s Stratos Project to shrink its footprint by 75%, and O’Leary says the demand was never part of the original deal—keeping the state’s AI power-and-water debate front and center. College Sports Tech & Policy: In Washington, Utah defensive end Lance Holtzclaw testified alongside Nick Saban and others as Congress weighs the Protect College Sports Act, aiming to rein in NIL and transfer-portal chaos. Local Election Glitch: About 9,000 Tooele County voters received the wrong primary ballots, with clerks scrambling to deactivate incorrect ballots and reissue correct ones. Utah Philanthropy: Karen Huntsman, a major Utah business and health philanthropist tied to Huntsman Cancer and Mental Health institutes, died at 88. AI’s Real-World Costs: A new UN-backed report warns AI and data centers could drive major electricity, water, land, and waste impacts by 2030. Healthcare Tech Milestone: nView medical says its 3D intraoperative imaging system has surpassed 1,000 surgeries. Wildfire Readiness: Experts warn federal staff cuts are slowing prescribed burning and thinning, raising stakes for Utah’s fire season.

School Tech Policy: A new wave of cellphone bans is spreading across states, but fresh research finds little proof that “bell-to-bell” rules deliver the benefits supporters claim. Public Health Tech: The CDC’s wastewater COVID surveillance program faces major funding cuts, just as a new “cicada” variant spreads—raising alarms about losing an early-warning system. Utah Water & Growth: Utah State University research says Great Salt Lake Basin farmers feel unfairly blamed; they point to population growth and housing demand as key drivers of water pressure. AI in Healthcare (Utah): Intermountain Health reports an AI-powered symptom-tracking app cut hospitalizations and emergency visits for COPD and asthma patients. Utah Data Centers: Erin Brockovich is launching a website to map AI data centers and collect community reports on environmental and consultation concerns. Deep Earth Science (Utah): U of Utah researchers confirm a rare deep earthquake beneath northern Utah that was long considered impossible. Space/Robotics (Utah): UIU’s Mars Rover team placed third globally at the University Rover Challenge 2026 in Hanksville. Cancer Research (Utah): Huntsman Cancer Institute researchers highlight TALAPRO-3 results showing a major rPFS improvement for HRR-altered metastatic prostate cancer.

AI in Healthcare: Intermountain Health says an AI-enabled care approach cut hospitalizations 50%, emergency visits 20%, and overall costs 57% for COPD and asthma patients. Utah Data Center Fight: Utah Senate President Stuart Adams urged Kevin O’Leary to shrink the Box Elder County Stratos project from 40,000 acres to about 10,000, pushing for stronger water, heat, and Great Salt Lake protections plus a public transparency site. Local Politics & Tech Policy: In Utah’s 3rd Congressional District debate, Celeste Maloy and Phil Lyman sparred over records and guardrails tied to ICE and data centers. Wildlife & Climate Resilience: New research on Joshua trees after California’s Dome Fire found underground fungal life largely survived, suggesting recovery hurdles are mostly above ground. Community Tech & STEM: BYU’s Astronomical Society runs weekly planetarium documentary watch parties, keeping astronomy accessible during spring term. Infrastructure for Learning: Ogden School District is installing new TenCate Pivot Performance turf at multiple high school and sports complex fields for 2026-27. Public Safety: Utah’s statewide closed fire season starts June 1, with permits required for open burning and Park City already under stricter rules.

Utah Data Center Fight: Utah Senate President Stuart Adams says he’s sent Kevin O’Leary a letter demanding the Stratos Project shrink 75%—from 40,000 acres to about 10,000—plus stricter conservation, wildlife/ag protections, and a public-facing transparency site, as Gov. Spencer Cox issues statewide coordination rules for big data-center reviews. Local Water & AI Backlash: A Utah man’s satirical protest—“my home identifies as a data center”—targets drought restrictions versus AI-facility water demands, keeping the Great Salt Lake debate front and center. Healthcare AI in Utah: Utah’s piloting of an “AI doctor” for medication renewals is in the spotlight as a broader push for AI workflow automation expands. Cancer Research: Huntsman Cancer Institute reports a Phase 3 trial where talazoparib plus enzalutamide cut progression/death risk by 52% in select metastatic prostate cancer patients. Public Safety & Community: Utah’s Newborn Safe Haven law turns 25, with advocates marking how it helped families adopt babies. STEM & Climate Planning: Weber State researchers used dense downtown temperature monitoring to map Ogden’s urban heat island and guide hotter-summer planning. Space Tech: Missouri S&T’s Mars Rover Design Team won the University Rover Challenge again at Hanksville, Utah. Health Costs Watch: A WalletHub report finds Americans’ out-of-pocket health spending has risen sharply over 20 years, with some states far higher than others.

Data Center Showdown in Utah: Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams has sent Kevin O’Leary a letter demanding the Stratos project shrink 75% (40,000 acres to ~10,000) plus tighter environmental protections, water stewardship tied to the Great Salt Lake, wildlife/ag protections, heat-capture tech review, independent scientific/engineering analysis, and a public-facing transparency site. Wearable Health Tech: University of Utah researchers unveiled a cuffless smartwatch approach that can continuously measure blood pressure (and blood flow) using physics-informed machine learning, aiming to replace bulky clinic-only readings. AI in Federal Workflows: The VA is seeking an AI user interface and API for its next phase, targeting assistive and agentic tools for the workforce while meeting security requirements for sensitive data. STEM Spotlight: Missouri S&T’s Mars Rover Design Team won the University Rover Challenge for a second straight year at the Mars Desert Research Station in Hanksville, Utah. Utah Cannabis Research: UDAF and the University of Utah’s MCORE team published a 2025 market analysis showing improved adoption and satisfaction, while still flagging cost and administrative barriers. Local Tech & Business: Viamedia.ai expanded its AI-powered advertising platform after integrating LocalFactor, including growth in partner markets that now cover Salt Lake City.

AI Data Centers Clash in Utah: Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary is pushing a 40,000-acre, “hyperscale” AI campus in Box Elder County, but residents are fighting back over power, water, and Great Salt Lake impacts as the governor tries to distance the plan from earlier “100% natural gas” claims. State Water Anxiety: A new poll finds Utahns’ Great Salt Lake worries climbing to 86% (very concerned 51%), while leaders push drought and lake-protection measures. Clean Energy STEM Win: Southern Utah University’s engineering team took second overall (and first in the design challenge) at a national hydropower competition. Space Tech Watch: FAA documents outline SpaceX’s Starfall reentry vehicle tests for in-space manufacturing and cargo delivery. Health Research (Utah-linked): University of Utah researchers report a simple walking adjustment can ease knee osteoarthritis pain and slow cartilage damage. Tech & Media: UteZone is moving to On3/Rivals, and Scripps pulled 54 local stations from DIRECTV after retransmission-rate talks broke down. Public Safety Tech: New laws fund wildlife road crossings to cut animal-vehicle crashes.

Utah Health & Aging: A new study reports that people who quit smoking may lower their later-life dementia risk, with benefits growing the longer they stay smoke-free. Public Health Debate: Utah and other states continue pushing back on water-fluoride rules amid renewed claims and a fresh look at fluoride’s health effects. STEM in Utah: Southern Utah University’s engineering team took second overall and won the design category at a national hydropower competition. Space & Aviation: FAA documents outline SpaceX’s Starfall reentry vehicle tests, tied to in-space manufacturing and cargo concepts. Utah AI Policy: Gov. Spencer Cox issued an executive order tightening Utah’s data center development standards, focusing on water, power demand, environment, and public input as opposition grows. Local Research & Medicine: University of Utah-led work suggests a simple walking adjustment can ease knee osteoarthritis pain and slow cartilage damage. Great Salt Lake Watch: Utah State Parks pulled boats from the Great Salt Lake marina again as low water levels threaten slips and access. Tech & Crypto: Polymarket is blocking VPN traffic and, in some cases, asking users to verify identities amid legal pressure. Wildlife & Drought: Research using GPS collars finds drought shrinks suitable habitat across Utah and Nevada for multiple large mammals. Mars in Utah: A Bangladeshi Mars rover team placed top three worldwide at URC 2026, held in Utah.

Utah Energy & Grid Policy: Gov. Spencer Cox’s Operation Gigawatt Summit leaned hard into nuclear as Utah’s “all-of-the-above” plan, with federal and state officials discussing how to speed critical power projects. Local Solar Rules: Utah lawmakers cleared “balcony solar” for renters, and a broader plug-in solar push is spreading as more states move to make outlet-connected panels legal. Great Salt Lake & Air Protections: Utah issued an executive order to raise standards for data center development, aiming to protect the Great Salt Lake and air quality as AI infrastructure expands. AI Data Center Backlash: A new Gallup poll finds 71% of Americans oppose AI data centers in their area, citing water, electricity, and environmental worries—while Utah’s own Box Elder “Stratos” fight keeps drawing national attention. Water Safety: Utah experts urged watercraft users to take safety seriously, warning that people jumping in to help can turn one incident into multiple drownings. Wildfire Prep: Park City Fire District’s free wood chipping program is underway as drought conditions raise wildfire risk. Education (Reading): Park City School District won the Utah State Board of Education’s District Leader Science of Reading Award for improving early literacy outcomes. Internet Safety: Utah AG Jay Jones joined opposition to a federal kids’ internet safety bill, arguing for stronger guardrails.

Nuclear Power Push: Gov. Spencer Cox’s Operation Gigawatt Summit leaned hard into nuclear as Utah’s “all-of-the-above” energy plan, with Cox signaling faster approvals and a bigger role for nuclear generation. Data Center Rules in Utah: Cox followed up with an executive order creating a statewide framework for evaluating large data centers, prioritizing Great Salt Lake protection, air quality, utility ratepayer safeguards, wildlife impacts, and transparent public engagement. Great Salt Lake Roundtable: Cox also convened state, federal, and conservation leaders for a Great Salt Lake Roundtable focused on coordinated next steps after renewed national attention and proposed restoration funding. Local Tech & Business Tools: Summit County launched SizeUp Summit County, a free online market-research tool for small businesses to compare competitors and target customers. Utah Science Discovery: University of Utah researchers described a new free-living worm species from Great Salt Lake microbialites, adding to the mystery of life in extreme environments. Utah Tech Policy Context: A Washington Post report highlights Utah’s Kevin O’Leary-backed data center backlash and claims of foreign influence—without shared proof—fueling broader national debate. Education & AI: A University of Utah primer explains which AI tools students can use based on data sensitivity rules.

Utah Data Centers: Gov. Spencer Cox signed an executive order creating a statewide framework for evaluating large data center projects, with a higher bar on Great Salt Lake water protection, air quality, utility ratepayer safeguards, wildlife impacts, and transparent public input—aimed at cooling backlash tied to the Stratos proposal. Local Governance: Box Elder County opponents of a controversial data center hit a legal snag after county officials rejected ballot challenge applications for two resolutions, though appeals are expected. Earth Science: University of Utah researchers confirmed a rare deep-mantle earthquake class by re-analyzing the 1979 Randolph quake and other suspected events, helping explain why some deep quakes go unfelt. AI & Privacy: A University of Utah primer lays out which AI tools students can use under campus policy, based on data sensitivity. STEM & Business: Summit County launched SizeUp Summit County, a free market-research tool for small businesses to compare competitors and customers. TechBio/Markets: Recursion granted inducement RSUs for new employees under Nasdaq rules, signaling continued hiring in clinical-stage biotech. Geospatial Tech: Eagleview and Nearmap settled long-running patent litigation in Utah, clearing the way for both firms to focus on customers.

Defense Tech in Utah: Rajant says it’s expanding a Kentucky drone and aerospace manufacturing hub, scaling production of its Flying Cowbell drone systems and brushless motors, with 85–100 new advanced manufacturing jobs and partnerships with Morehead State and STEM training groups. Great Salt Lake Action: Gov. Cox will convene a Great Salt Lake Roundtable with state, federal, philanthropic, scientific, business, and conservation leaders, then join a Farmington Bay service project focused on trail work and invasive weed removal. Utah Earth Science: University of Utah researchers say a long-mysterious 1979 Randolph quake was real and unusually deep, helping refine what scientists think is possible beneath northern Utah. Nuclear in Green River: A decade-old Green River project is gaining momentum again, shifting toward small modular reactors after earlier plans faced opposition and legal fights. AI + Robotics: NVIDIA Research reports new work showing robots moving from simulation training toward real-world autonomy, with multiple papers presented at ICRA. Data Center Politics: Utah’s auditor launched a “Transparent Utah” dashboard for the Military Installation Development Authority as scrutiny grows over a proposed Box Elder data center. Policy Watch: Utah AG Jay Jones joined a coalition opposing the federal KIDS Act, arguing it would weaken child online safety rules.

Utah Energy & Nuclear: Holtec International says its SMR-300 small modular reactor tech is set to power the Green River Advanced Nuclear Project under Operation Gigawatt, highlighting an air-cooled option for arid Utah conditions. Local Tech & Infrastructure: Utah’s auditor launched the “Transparent Utah” dashboard to track the Military Installation Development Authority’s records and finances amid backlash over a major Box Elder data center push. Robotics & AI: NVIDIA Research presented eight new papers at ICRA showing robots moving from simulation-trained demos toward more reliable real-world autonomy. Semiconductors Workforce: NNME Southwest was designated a regional semiconductor training hub, spanning Utah and neighboring states to align curriculum and expand hands-on pathways into microelectronics careers. Defense Drones: Blue Ops (Red Cat) ramped Variant 7 uncrewed surface vessel production, while Survice Engineering tested a rocket launcher on an autonomous logistics drone at Fort Rucker. Public Health: Florida reported four more measles cases, bringing 2026 totals to 154 as summer travel raises risk. Construction Innovation: HydroBlok says testing confirms its HB One Backer CI can install direct-to-stud in non-shear wall sections, aiming to simplify wall builds while meeting continuous insulation needs.