The state of Utah recognizes mpathic to independently evaluate healthcare AI
Agreement brings expert clinician-led evaluation and ongoing review of AI to patient interactions to the state’s regulatory sandbox
SEATTLE, WA—mpathic, a clinician-founded AI safety company, announced an agreement with Utah’s Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy (OAIP) to independently evaluate healthcare AI systems for the state’s regulatory sandbox. The agreement covers testing before systems enter the sandbox and ongoing review during pilots, giving regulators independent clinical evidence to assess developers’ safety claims and how their systems respond to patients.
Phase one evaluations will include independent review by interdisciplinary teams of clinical, AI, and healthcare policy and regulation experts. Further evaluation may include clinical red teaming to uncover unsafe responses and test safeguards, as well as clinician review of patient conversation logs. Ongoing audits may track changes in a system’s performance and check developers’ reports against independent findings. The scope of each engagement will reflect the system being evaluated.
“We’ve been performing in regulated spaces and clinical trials with AI for the last five years. We are privileged to bring this same rigor and network of expert intelligence to accelerate responsible AI innovation in Utah. I previously collaborated with the University of Utah in research since 2008 and have tremendous respect for the culture of innovation and technology in this state,” Dr. Grin Lord, PsyD, ABPP, CEO, founder, and Associate Research Professor, University of Washington.
For each engagement, mpathic will report its evaluation methods and findings to OAIP. Systems that meet the applicable evaluation criteria may receive an mpathic Verified certification, which OAIP accepts as evidence of independent evaluation. The office will ultimately retain authority over admission to the sandbox.
The agreement was announced on October 5, 2026, at the Utah State Capitol as the state added healthcare to its Pro-Human AI Initiative with Dr. Alison Cerezo, PhD, Chief Science Officer of mpathic. mpathic joins an independent evaluation network that includes the Coalition for Health AI (CHAI), Clarion AI Partners, Glacis Technologies, Vega Health, and Stanford Clinical Excellence Research Center.
“Yesterday’s press conference underscored the tremendous potential of responsible AI to expand access to care and improve patient services across Utah. By placing clinical professionals at the center of AI design, Utah can create a blueprint for responsible innovation that other states can follow—and mpathic is well positioned to help bring that vision to life.”
Utah also announced pilots for AI-assisted prescription renewals, acne care, and pelvic floor physical therapy, along with agreements covering future pilots at University of Utah Health and Intermountain Health. The sandbox allows healthcare AI to be tested under defined conditions and state oversight, generating evidence to inform future policy.
Learn more at commerce.utah.gov/ai/.
