Utah Adds Three Clinical AI Pilots With Independent Safety Evaluators

Utah is giving AI a larger role in patient care under temporary regulatory exceptions. On October 5, 2026, officials added a health care pillar to the state's Pro-Human AI Initiative, announcing three clinical AI pilots and independent evaluation networks. The pilots cover acne treatment, pelvic-health physical therapy and renewals of existing prescriptions.

Temporary exceptions, not open-ended permission

Utah's regulatory sandbox lets companies seek limited, temporary relief from specific state rules while testing products under conditions negotiated with regulators. Before a pilot proceeds, the Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy requires plans for patient safety, consumer benefit and data reporting. Participating companies must also disclose when AI is running the process.

New master agreement frameworks with Intermountain Health and University of Utah Health address data privacy and AI governance. They allow departments within those systems to propose future pilots, but each proposal still needs state review and approval. The agreements do not give every department permission to begin clinical AI testing.

Commerce Director Margaret Woolley Busse said the aim is better access, lower costs and greater clinician capacity. She also pointed to geographic barriers and the need to stretch a scarce health care workforce.

University of Utah Health innovation chief Dr. Jim Hotaling offered an example of AI assisting a clinician. He said a tool found a buried family-history detail: three male relatives of a young patient had died before 40 from sudden cardiac death. Hotaling confirmed the history with the patient, who was then evaluated and treated for a potentially lethal heart rhythm problem.

Three different clinical jobs

• Nolla Health plans AI-supported telehealth care for mild to moderate acne. State officials say Utah dermatologists will help oversee the program, with routes to higher-level care for more serious conditions or patients who request it. Nolla also introduced a Utah-only app version that lets users proceed without waiting for its clinician team to respond.
• Expect Fitness plans to help licensed physical therapists provide pelvic-health care remotely, particularly during pregnancy and after childbirth. AI would assist with patient intake, treatment-plan development and follow-up, allowing a limited number of therapists to serve more patients.
• August AI plans renewals of existing, non-controlled prescriptions for chronic conditions. The company says its initial list covers about 148 medications, beginning with lower-risk drugs. The AI will not write new prescriptions, change doses or substitute medications. Deseret News reported that August released free automatic refills for routine, non-controlled medications specifically for Utah users.

The pilots begin with 12-month agreements. Companies must notify the state before starting operations, and Utah can consider renewals afterward. For August's program, the state also cited clearer liability provisions and improved integration with electronic health records.

Clinical tools are higher stakes and they need stronger evidence to earn the trust of health systems and patients.

Mark Sendak, CEO of VegaHealth

Outside review, with Utah deciding

Six independent evaluators will assess evidence from the pilots for safety and effectiveness. Sendak said that review will examine expected benefits, possible ways a product could fail and evidence that could change an approval decision. Utah retains authority over which companies enter the sandbox; evaluators do not replace the state regulator.

Alongside Vega Health, initial evaluators include Clarion AI Partners, the Coalition for Health AI, Glacis Technologies, Empathic Health and Stanford's Clinical Excellence Research Center.

Prescription renewals have already drawn scrutiny from Utah's Medical Licensing Board. Its concerns about the earlier Doctronic pilot included side effects, drug interactions and whether continued treatment remains appropriate. Board member Bill Hamilton said its working group is not a blanket endorsement of AI pilots, emphasizing physician-led oversight, phased safety review and patient disclosures.

Busse said the initiative will examine legal liability for doctors involved in AI-assisted care. Officials have not yet defined which clinical decisions AI should never make. Busse said they still want a human involved somewhere, while acknowledging that the boundary remains unsettled.

Lawmakers said pilot results will inform future legislation on patient privacy, consumer transparency and the role of licensed professionals in AI-assisted care.