The Blog at MSPC

The market is calling for more AI implementation across every sector, and the places that win won’t be the places that fear change. That’s why this effort is so timely and helps students and educators become builders, not just spectators, in the next wave of economic growth.

The headline change is simple but important: parents will soon have a built-in “kill switch” for one-on-one chats between their teens and AI

Over 300 teachers, principals, and community leaders came together for this year's event, giving a state-wide perspective on all the things we should be doing to better equip our parents and students with what they need to succeed in educating their youth.

Mountain States Policy Center has long argued that the goal should be using technology to cut waste and trim red tape so government employees can focus on what really matters and those activities that need human interaction.

Idaho is once again in the national spotlight for its willingness to innovate and modernize. The latest effort? Fighting fires from space. During the 2025 Legislative Session, AI cameras for detecting fires became a "hot" topic of discussion.

Technology today has a variety of built-in tools to help parents keep their children safe on the internet. Apple’s Screen Time and Google’s Family Link allow you to set app limits, block adult content, and control when a device can be used. Similarly, gaming consoles like PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch have controls for screen time, spending, and age-appropriate titles.

Across our region, policymakers have been taking action that significantly moves the economic needle: cutting waste and trimming red tape. It’s a key reason Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming regularly show up among the least-regulated states in the country, and is a major draw to families, job creators, and taxpayers alike.

AI is not powered by magic or fairy dust. AI is powered by giant data centers crammed full of servers that consume massive quantities of electricity to train the AI models, stream videos, and move information around in milliseconds directly to your fingertips.

AI is transforming how we produce, consume, and distribute information. Tools powered by artificial intelligence can accelerate research, summarize gigantic data sets, write papers, and demystify for others how algorithms that analyze us work.

Our perspective focused on facilitating innovative technologies while adopting responsible safeguards with necessary human oversight.

Through social media, online platforms, and ever-present digital devices, parents today are up against a tidal wave of risks that can harm their children. There are so many dangers in the technology world, including cyberbullying, “harmful materials,” as well as the known addictive nature of social media.

Washington state lawmakers this year imposed a new tax that has already sent tremors through the state’s tech titans and small business owners. Senate Bill 5814 significantly broadened the state’s retail sales tax to include an extensive array of digital services.

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte recently signed America’s first law that protects the right to use computing power, such as blockchain nodes, distributed storage, and AI modeling on private property unimpeded by government overreach. This is great news for innovation, property rights, and economic freedom.

The President checks nearly every box that proponents of AI education are advocating for. The EO is creating a federal task force, holding student competitions, fostering industry collaboration, and fast-tracking grant programs. According to the AI education EO:

The Western states stand at a pivotal moment. While Washington has established itself as a tech powerhouse, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana offer untapped potential with their lower costs of living, abundant renewable energy resources, and high quality of life that increasingly attracts talented workers seeking alternatives to coastal tech hubs.