Brandon Amacher
Director of the Emerging Tech Policy Program Utah Valley University
- Orem UT
Amacher is an expert in advanced tech security, cybersecurity policy, malicious disinformation and national security
Media
Biography
Industry Expertise
Areas of Expertise
Accomplishments
Adjunct Faculty of the Year
Utah Valley University Center for National Security Studies
Marshall Award for Outstanding Scholarship
UVU Center for National Security Studies - 2020
Part-Time Faculty of the Year
UVU Center for National Security Studies - 2022
Nominee: Exceptional Master Student Award
Georgetown University - 2026
Dean's Outstanding Staff Award
Utah Valley University - 2026
Education
Georgetown University
M.A.
Applied Inteligence, Cyber Inteligence
Utah Valley University
B.S.
National Security Studies & Business Management
Links
Languages
- English
Media Appearances
Study shows many struggle to identify deepfakes as AI advances
KUTV online
2026-05-07
Brandon Amacher, who leads out on research into technology and national security, said people tend to trust information delivered through deepfakes nearly as much as content from real people.
AI deepfakes are coming from your bank accounts
KSL's Inside Sources online
2026-05-04
Brandon Amacher, Director of the Emerging Policies Tech Lab at Utah Valley University, joins Inside Sources to explain how the latest updates with text and words on pictures could make things even trickier.
Residents raise concerns about data centers' environmental impact, long-term resource use
KUTV online
2026-05-04
“Most people don’t understand what these data centers are or how they work,” said Brandon Amacher, Director of Emerging Tech Policy at Utah Valley University. “It’s like getting this massive black box dropped into your community without really knowing what it does or the resources it’s going to draw on.”
‘A propaganda goldmine’: UVU researcher discusses the impact of AI deepfakes on military conflicts like Iran
ABC 4 Utah online
2026-03-03
Brandon Amacher, a Utah Valley University researcher, explained how AI deepfakes can be used to create misinformation about military conflicts, like the current conflict between the U.S. and Iran, and what we can do to combat it.
UVU Emerging Tech Policy Lab director explains crypto in light of Nancy Guthrie's ransom
KJZZ 14 online
2026-02-10
Brandon Amacher, the Director of the Emerging Tech Policy Lab at Utah Valley University, said most crypto transactions are publicly available, meaning you can see where they go.
Cybersecurity experts warn Android users about malicious apps on Google Play
KJZZ online
2026-02-04
Brandon Amacher, director of Utah Valley University’s Emerging Tech Policy Lab, added further context to the overall issue. He said Android’s open platform allows greater leniency for developers.
ChatGPT maker OpenAI considering Utah for data center expansion
KUTV online
2025-02-06
Brandon Amacher, director of the Emerging Tech Policy Lab at Utah Valley University, said AI is advancing rapidly, and those who embrace it early will benefit.
Q and A with Brandon Amacher of Utah Valley University
Defending Digital Campaigns, online
2024-12-20
Brandon Amacher, the director of the Emerging Tech Policy Lab for the I3SC and an instructor at the UVU Center for National Security Studies, sat down for an interview with Defending Digital Campaigns.
‘Wolverine’ cyber soldiers: UVU’s national security students determined to combat global tech threats
Deseret News online
2024-12-11
Brandon Amacher, a cybersecurity professional and instructor at the center, says, “They are very average, everyday people who have dedicated their lives to address national security issues — and they very rarely see the limelight.”
In just the second year of competing, UVU places first in international cybersecurity strategy challenge
Yahoo News online
2021-03-12
Brandon Amacher, a private-sector cybersecurity professional, said “This win demonstrates the exceptional quality of the National Security Program here at UVU.”
Courses
Cybersecurity Policy
NSS 4150
Articles
Impact of AI-Generated Media on Election Security
Herbert Instititute for Public Policy2026-06-01
AI-generated deepfakes represent a rapidly escalating threat to democratic processes and informed political participation. This study, the second in a series by a cross-disciplinary coalition of UVU faculty, staff, and students, extends prior research by examining whether synthetic video content can influence real political opinions in a realistic social media context, and whether ordinary citizens can reliably detect these deepfakes.
Research Summary: Impact of AI Generated Media
UVU Center for National Security Studies2024-10-28
AI generated deepfakes are a growing concern with regard to election security and disinformation. Deepfake content has already been used in attempts to influence elections or geopolitics several times all over the globe, including in Utah. This problem will increase in severity as generative AI improves, and it becomes more difficult for voters to discern between authentic content and deepfakes. A cross-disciplinary coalition of UVU faculty, staff, and students has conducted a study to measure the impact of deepfake content versus real media, monitor viewers’ non-conscious responses to deepfakes, and ascertain how well participants can identify deepfakes retrospectively.
