Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
- State Sen. Kevin Cook is drafting a bill for AI education in Idaho.
- Cook emphasizes AI's role in nuclear projects and workforce readiness for students.
- AI safety and responsible use are central to Cook's legislative efforts and discussions.
IDAHO FALLS – State Sen. Kevin Cook is focused on three areas he believes are the key to Idaho's future: water storage, artificial intelligence development and nuclear projects.
The latter two are hot topics nationwide. President Donald Trump has made AI one of his highest priorities. He's signed multiple executive orders pushing for global dominance in AI. An executive order last week blocks states from crafting their own regulations for artificial intelligence.
Cook, who represents the Idaho Falls area in District 32, is supportive of Trump in this effort.
He's a software engineer by profession and tells EastIdahoNews.com the AI and nuclear conversation are interrelated.
"You can't do nuclear and compete in the world if you don't have AI, and you can't do AI without power and energy, so you need the nuclear to feed it," Cook says.
In August, Aalo Atomics broke ground on a nuclear plant and data center at Idaho National Lab's Materials and Fuels Complex. The nuclear plant will produce electrical energy that will be used in AI projects.
The INL is also collaborating with 17 national labs to improve AI performance and development as part of the Trump administration's Genesis Mission project. Its goal is to "build an integrated AI platform" to "unleash a new age of AI‑accelerated innovation and discovery."
In response, Cook is in the process of drafting a bill ahead of the 2026 legislative session to provide a framework for educating people about the future of AI and how to use it responsibly.
"Everything you do nowadays has AI in some way, or some form of it," Cook says. "We have no clue what AI is going to look like one year from now, let alone 10 years from now. We need to have a framework … to know what to teach our kids so that they're prepared for the future."
He recently met with professionals and business leaders across the state who already use AI to get a pulse on how it's being implemented and what's being said about it. The discussion included people in the banking and health industries, as well as the manufacturing, agriculture and education sectors.
Cook says many parents have concerns about AI and want to shield their kids from it. Those fears stem, in large part, from recent headlines about teens involved in sextortion scams. In many of these cases, teens commit suicide because an AI-generated chatbot was blackmailing them.
While Cook says these situations are tragic, a little bit of education about AI could have prevented it.
"We have to change our mindset," he says.
Cook says refusing to engage with AI is not the right solution, and protecting kids is at the heart of this legislation.
"We need to give parents confidence that we're looking after their children and help our teachers understand what AI is, how to use it and how to help our kids (use it responsibly)," says Cook.
Is AI going to take away our jobs?
Another point that's brought up in this conversation is concerns about AI taking over the job market.
"I don't believe it," Cook says, quoting a business executive at an AI discussion in Washington, D.C., earlier this year. "He said, '(People) may lose jobs to someone who knows how to use AI,' which I believe is true."
Cook says helping students be prepared to enter the workforce is a key part of education, and it's critical that AI is part of their curriculum.
In a statement to EastIdahoNews.com, state Superintendent Debbie Critchfield says she's been involved in the discussion with Cook and supports efforts to use AI "effectively and responsibly" in public schools.
She outlines several initiatives she believes will prepare students for a future where AI will play a significant role.
"The new digital literacy graduation requirement was designed to help students build foundational skills and stay ahead of emerging technologies," Critchfield says. "We are also prioritizing support for educators by providing statewide professional development focused on AI. These learning opportunities will equip teachers with the knowledge to thoughtfully integrate AI into the classroom and to model ethical, responsible use for their students."
Additionally, Cook says AI is helpful in doing research and improves efficiency in the workplace.
"AI is not going to take over the world. It's here to enhance the human experience," says Cook.
Chris Ritter, the INL's division director of scientific computing in AI, agrees. In a conversation with EastIdahoNews.com earlier this month, he said the development of AI has the potential to be the second industrial revolution because of its impact on energy, national security and science.
Ritter says there are negative consequences if America doesn't stay competitive.
Cook says he's pleased with Trump's efforts to make AI a priority. Cook was involved in the creation of a bill last year that made AI-generated porn illegal. He's eager to continue the conversation about the responsible use of AI in society.
"I think we've struck a good place to be at that doesn't interfere with innovation, but protects the kids," Cook says. "There's no reason Idaho can't lead the nation in AI."
