EXECUTIVE ORDER 26-02

WHEREAS, Artificial Intelligence (AI) represents a transformative technological advancement with the potential to significantly enhance the efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of public services provided to the citizens of Missouri; and

WHEREAS, the State of Missouri is committed to embracing innovation to expedite government work, streamline processes, and deliver a better product to its constituents through the employment of AI tools and systems utilizing the best available data; and

WHEREAS, the development and deployment of AI systems must be guided by principles that safeguard the fundamental values and interests of Missourians, including data privacy, effective data quality management, human oversight, ethical considerations, and transparency; and

WHEREAS, fostering a competitive and sensible business environment is critical to attracting and retaining AI-focused companies, thereby creating high-wage jobs and stimulating economic growth within the state; and

WHEREAS, the substantial energy demands of data centers, which are essential to AI infrastructure, must be managed proactively to ensure that all Missouri citizens are protected from unduly high energy rates and that the state's future energy needs are addressed sustainably; and

WHEREAS, Missouri has rich natural resources that are needed to provide for residential, agricultural, and industrial demands, making effective and coordinated management critical; and

WHEREAS, the rapid adoption of Artificial Intelligence across all economic sectors necessitates a proactive strategy to equip Missouri's current and future workforce with the necessary technological skills to remain competitive and ensure that Missourians are positioned to fill the high-growth, high-wage jobs created by the AI economy; and

WHEREAS, on November 24, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed the Executive Order "Launching the Genesis Mission," establishing a coordinated national effort to unleash AI-accelerated innovation through the American Science and Security Platform, and it is in the best interest of Missouri to align state research and workforce assets with this historic national initiative to secure technological and energy dominance.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, MIKE KEHOE, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the State of Missouri, hereby order the following:

  1. The Commissioner of the Office of Administration shall investigate, review, and develop a strategic framework for the safe and effective integration of Artificial Intelligence within State Government operations. This framework shall prioritize the following:
    1. Expediting Work and Improving Services: Identifying high-potential AI applications to increase government efficiency and enhance the quality of services delivered to Missourians.
    2. Data Privacy and Security: Establishing robust policies and technical safeguards to protect the sensitive data and personal information of Missourians from unauthorized access or misuse by AI systems.
    3. Human Decision Making: Ensuring appropriate human oversight and intervention, especially in high-impact AI use cases, to maintain accountability and preserve human judgment in critical decisions.
    4. Transparency and Accountability: Developing guidelines for transparency regarding the use of AI tools, including how they function, what data they utilize, and mechanisms for citizens to raise concerns about automated decisions.
    5. Data Quality Management: Creating guidelines for ensuring that the quality of the data used in AI tools is continuously being monitored and assessed to ensure accuracy, completeness, consistency, timeliness, relevance, and objectivity using practices such as auditing, verification and data cleansing.
  2. The Director of the Department of Economic Development shall undertake a comprehensive review of the current business environment for Artificial Intelligence companies in Missouri and recommend policies that are both pro-business and pro-consumer.
    1. Review and Recommendations: The review shall assess existing incentives, regulatory frameworks, and workforce development programs to identify opportunities to attract AI innovation, start-ups, and talent.
    2. Sensible Policy: Recommendations shall focus on creating a uniform and minimally burdensome policy environment to encourage AI-related investment while protecting consumer rights and preventing anti-competitive practices.
  3. The Director of the Department of Natural Resources in collaboration with the Public Service Commission shall initiate an investigation and review of energy regulations and infrastructure planning in light of the growing demand for power from data centers supporting AI.
    1. Ratepayer Protection: The Director shall coordinate the review of current state regulations and utility practices to ensure that the construction and operation of data centers and other large power users do not result in higher energy rates for residential and small business Missourians, in accordance with the principle that large users should cover their full cost of electricity and infrastructure service and, when appropriate, contribute to the further development of sustainable, dispatchable power generation.
    2. Energy Needs Assessment: The Director shall review and project the current and future energy needs of the state, including the impact of rapidly expanding AI infrastructure, and develop strategies to address these needs through reliable, economical, and sustainable energy solutions.
    3. Natural Resource Management: The Director shall initiate coordination throughout Missouri state government to better understand demand for development of data centers in Missouri to ensure the effective management of Missouri’s natural resources for all Missourians.
  4. The Commissioner of the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development, in collaboration with the Department of Economic Development, shall undertake initiatives to prepare Missouri’s workforce and education systems for the AI-driven economy:
    1. Evaluate the AI Education and Training Ecosystem: Evaluate the status and delivery of AI-related programming, both in specialized programs and across the broader curricula, by Missouri public higher education institutions. Conduct a landscape analysis of existing industry partnerships. Leverage regional education and labor force data to examine which programs are AI-workforce-aligned.
    2. Launch AI-Focused Training Programs: Develop best practices related to AI education, and recommend and establish new degree programs, including certifications, apprenticeships, and rapid retraining initiatives focused on high-demand AI-related skills (e.g. data science, security, and maintenance of AI systems).

All reports, policy recommendations, and findings related to this Order shall be delivered to the Governor’s Office by November 30, 2026.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Missouri, in the City of Jefferson, on this 13th day of January, 2026.

[signature of Michael Kehoe]
MIKE KEHOE
GOVERNOR

ATTEST:

[signature of Denny Hoskins]
DENNY HOSKINS
SECRETARY OF STATE

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