Margaret Woolley Busse was appointed by Governor Spencer Cox in January 2021 to serve as Commissioner of Utah’s Department of Commerce. She holds an MBA from Harvard University and degrees in public policy and economics from Brigham Young University, bringing extensive experience in public service, social impact, and strategy consulting.

As Utah’s chief business regulator, Ms. Busse has reduced regulatory fees, reduced professional licensure regulatory barriers, and streamlined licensure pathways for Utah professionals trained in other countries.

Ms Busse has led Utah’s innovative approach to artificial intelligence, including the creation of the Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy, passage of landmark legislation establishing guardrails and innovation pathways for mental health chatbots, data portability and interoperability on social media platforms, and transparency requirements for AI deepfakes. Under Governor Cox’s direction, Ms. Busse initiated and now co-chairs Utah’s Prohuman AI Initiative, working to infuse “prohuman” values throughout the state’s efforts on AI across six pillars: workforce development, regulatory policy, learning & education, academic research, industry innovation, and state government deployment.

Finally, under Governor Cox’s leadership, she has advanced legislation and litigation to hold social media platforms accountable for harms to minors, including actions against TikTok, Meta, and Snap. A Utah native, she and her husband have five children.