- Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt urged Utah lawmakers to pass a bill requiring AI companies to publish child safety plans.
- He criticized tech firms as "amoral" and praised Utah's leadership in protecting kids.
- HB286 advanced unanimously, despite tech industry concerns about vague language.
SALT LAKE CITY — Golden Globe-nominated actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt appeared at the Utah Capitol to urge lawmakers to support a bill regulating artificial intelligence companies.
The actor, known for his roles in "Inception," "The Dark Knight Rises" and "(500) Days of Summer," is also a father of three. He told the House Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee on Tuesday that he's worried about his kids growing up in a world with powerful tech companies that "are incapable of prioritizing the well-being of kids."
"Utah, as far as I understand, has been a leader in the past protecting kids against these predatory tech companies, and now I think it's time for Utah to be that leader again," Gordon-Levitt said. "I'm asking you — as a tech enthusiast and as a businessman and as a fellow American and as a dad — please do the right thing and pass this bill."
In his impassioned remarks, Gordon-Levitt called AI "a really big deal" with tremendous potential for good. But he said the companies that develop it are "amoral" and only care about "making money."
"There are more laws in place governing how you make and sell a sandwich than there are governing this incredibly powerful, new revolutionary technology that's going to change all of our lives," he said.
The actor's pitch appeared to sway the committee, which voted unanimously to advance HB286, sponsored by Rep. Doug Fiefia, R-Herriman. The bill requires AI developers to implement and publicize plans to keep children and others safe while using the technology, and to report safety incidents when they happen.
The measure also prohibits companies from lying or misleading the public about risks from AI, or from retaliating against employees who come forward with concerns about artificial intelligence models.
"That's it," said Fiefia. "No content mandates. No government preapproval. No micromanaging algorithms. It doesn't touch development, which means it doesn't stifle innovation."
Fiefia shared the story of Adam Raine, a California teen who died by suicide last year. His parents sued OpenAI, alleging that its chatbot ChatGPT helped coach the 16-year-old to take his life.
Tuesday wasn't Gordon-Levitt's first visit to Utah to talk about artificial intelligence. He spoke at the 2025 Utah AI Summit in Salt Lake City in December, warning against allowing artificial intelligence companions to replace human relationships. Gordon-Levitt said Tuesday that he is writing and directing an upcoming film about artificial intelligence, and he based his comments off of research he's done for the project.
The bill met with some resistance from a tech industry group and a Utah nonprofit focused on technology development. May Kennedy, chief of staff for the Utah-based Abundance Institute, said she believes transparency in protecting children is a "priority for everybody," but said some vague definitions in the bill would make it ineffective.
"There's several pieces of the bill that lack specificity … which will not help create the desired effect that we're looking for," she said.
For instance, she said the bill lacks clarity on what is meant by "severe emotional distress" to minors.
"I come from a family of eight children," Kennedy added. "I understand that children are not the best at regulating their emotions, and if the intent here is to help protect children, then it seems counterproductive here to leave AI companies to interpret what severe emotional distress means."
Andrew Wood, speaking on behalf of the national advocacy group TechNet, called the bill "overly prescriptive and untested," and said it goes too far in regulating AI.
"That would make Utah an outlier nationally and could meaningfully set back Utah's innovation economy," Wood said.
But many others spoke in support of the bill, which now heads to the full House of Representatives for consideration.
"We have a lot of potential with AI, and we have a lot of known harms with AI, especially when it comes to kids," said Elizabeth Jenkins, a mother of four and adviser to the Child First Policy Center, calling the bill "a tool for transparency and basic accountability that is deeply, deeply needed."
Daniel Woodruff, KSLAlly Terry, a Sandy resident and co-founder of G-Rated School, added that parents are faced with "a bewildering array of choices related to technology their children have access to." She asked lawmakers to "be the adult in the room today that is making sure our children are safe."
While all lawmakers on the panel voted to advance HB286, some of them expressed concerns of their own. Rep. Paul Cutler, R-Centerville, said some definitions in the bill need clarity, while Rep. Leah Hansen, R-Saratoga Springs, said families also have a responsibility to ensure their children's safety.
Meanwhile, as the hearing proceeded, Gordon-Levitt's presence created a buzz on Capitol Hill. A handful of lawmakers from other committees rushed out of meetings to pose for pictures with the actor in the lobby before he left. Gordon-Levitt declined to answer further questions about the bill when asked by reporters.
