Educators in Utah are setting their sights on their new “north star”: the . The pair of documents aims to help schools navigate the rapid evolution of AI.
The initiative is the result of nearly a decade of work surrounding the state’s “Portrait of a Graduate,” which outlines the qualities, knowledge and skills each students should have when they graduate. Until now, the portrait lacked guidance on how to keep students at the center of technology.
“We started asking questions like, ‘What are the skills, the knowledge and dispositions a student or a teacher would need to be able to live and thrive with artificial intelligence,'” says Matthew Winters, AI specialist for the Utah State Board of Education.
The new portrait highlights the unique roles of learners and educators. For students, the documents focus heavily on AI literacy to help students understand that the technology is a human-created tool rather than a “friend” or a person.
For example, the guidance details ways in which students are encouraged to collaborate with AI tools:
- As a clarifier (asking questions for greater understanding)
- As a tutor (Example: Collaborate in the writing process)
- As an agent (the evolution of Agentic AI)
- As a feedback mechanism (by partnering, brainstorming, etc.)
As for teachers, the portrait outlines professional responsibilities surrounding data privacy and state-specific requirements.
Winters notes that the portrait doesn’t serve as a formal policy, but guidance. District leaders are encouraged to implement frameworks to fit their local needs. The state is also partnering with Utah’s to address consumer rights protections, including limiting the use of companion chatbots, Winters adds.
Meanwhile, the guidance defined in the Portrait of an AI-Infused Educator and Learner aims to serve as a “living document” that will evolve as the technology improves, Winters says. The state remains focused on promoting a holistic ecosystem where humans, not algorithms, remain in control.
“We really have created a nice nexus,” Winters says, “around an ecosystem here in the state of Utah around responsible, human-centered AI use.”
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