As we wrap up 2023, it’s a nice time to mirror on the present state of know-how in state and native governments and look forward to the priorities for the approaching 12 months. As we enter 2024, we’re seeing IT leaders in authorities crystalizing their efforts in 4 key areas:
- cybersecurity
- digital companies
- synthetic intelligence (AI)
- and modernizing transportation infrastructure.
Cybersecurity continues to be high tech precedence
Sustaining the safety of networks and the info they carry continues to be the first concern of high authorities officers and has been for the final 10 years, in response to NASCIO’s annual survey of State CIOs. As the amount and influence of malware and breaches proceed to rise, states are evolving their safety capabilities and specializing in cyber-resilience to rapidly react and get better from safety incidents.
Most states are additionally leveraging Federal Infrastructure and Funding Jobs Act (IIJA) grants to enhance the safety posture of their native authorities and faculties, which may add the duty for State CIOs and CISOs to coordinate whole-of-state safety plans. This heightened coordination and data sharing (plus typically useful resource sharing) is required most within the smallest and under-resourced cities, counties, and faculties.
States have performed assessments to determine the capabilities and wishes of their native governments and faculties. They’re targeted on addressing basic wants corresponding to coaching, endpoint protections, e-mail safety, and multi-factor authentication.
Whereas approaches differ by state, everyone seems to be specializing in making certain the sustainability of their method past the IIJA funding window. States are additionally establishing facilities of excellence, fusion facilities and cyber ranges, typically in partnership with native Universities or state community suppliers. These partnerships are delivering basic cybersecurity schooling, main table-top workouts to higher put together for breaches, and in some circumstances creating regional safety operations facilities (SOCs) to supply safety monitoring companies for native governments and faculties within the area.
Whereas many States require native governments and faculties to inform the State of safety breaches, a number of have a long-term objective of sharing real-time safety telemetry to create a extra full image of threats and unhealthy actors throughout their State.
Delivering digital authorities companies nonetheless of excessive significance
Serving residents quicker and at a decrease value by deploying safe and dependable digital authorities companies additionally stays a high precedence in state and native authorities. From on-line tax funds to digital renewals of licenses and permits, digital companies accessible from cellular gadgets have gotten the norm.
States and cities are consolidating portals to current a single face of presidency, with a single resident identifier and login for all companies. This represents an intentional shift from agency-centric to resident-centric service supply and might considerably decrease the barrier for residents to determine the companies they want and meet {qualifications} for.
Cities are additionally leveraging video know-how to attach residents in want with authorities staff instantly, permitting them to get well timed and private service with out the scheduling and journey to a authorities workplace. The Metropolis of El Paso, Texas El Paso Helps initiative is a primary instance of this shift.
States creating coverage guardrails for applicable use of AI
Simply over a 12 months after the general public launch of ChatGPT, Generative AI has taken middle stage within the know-how dialog (see what Cisco is doing with Generative AI). State CISOs are main the coverage creation for correct use of AI, and requiring registration of AI capabilities in all authorities techniques and industrial functions utilized by businesses to make sure they comply with the foundations for applicable use.
As Generative AI know-how quickly advances, the definitions of correct use will should be adjusted. AI is broadly seen as a device to enhance people in conducting their work, not as a device to make choices. With persistent workforce shortages throughout authorities businesses, authorities businesses are fascinated with applied sciences like AI-powered chatbots to proceed to fulfill the wants of residents with their decreased workforce — particularly in essential companies that usually expertise spikes in demand (corresponding to unemployment service at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic).
States have more and more created the place of chief information officer and chief privateness officer to make sure the privateness of resident information as it’s managed inside and between businesses. By harnessing the ability of information, states can achieve priceless insights into resident wants, monitor traits, and inform policymaking. This evidence-based method can result in simpler and environment friendly public companies in essential areas that contact a number of businesses like homelessness or opioid abuse.
States and cities are additionally targeted on modernizing transportation infrastructure
Departments of Transportation (DoTs) are connecting site visitors lights and including cameras to maneuver site visitors extra effectively. They’re additionally utilizing these applied sciences to preempt stoplights, permitting ambulances and different first responders to achieve folks in want quicker whereas responding higher to accidents and highway situations (study extra).
Transit authorities are upgrading cost techniques, delivering free and simply accessible safe WiFi to passengers, bettering end-to-end journey administration, and including digital signage to advertise occasions and neighborhood assets.
Transportation businesses even have important information about historic ridership to enhance effectivity and make data-driven choices about routes based mostly on time, climate, or occasions. Given the attain of transportation and metropolis property corresponding to streetlights, tasks like these can typically be the beginning of a broader sensible metropolis technique that expands into public security and digital fairness.
The continued push for IT modernization continues in 2024
As we mentioned, cybersecurity stays the highest concern for presidency leaders. However their emphasis on cloud companies, digital authorities, information administration, and analytics underscores a dedication to broader digital transformation. 2024 will see state and native governments proceed to modernize infrastructure. The main target will probably be on simplification and automation, partly as a result of persistent IT and cyber expertise shortages, but additionally as a result of want for improved flexibility and responsiveness to company wants. 2024 must be a 12 months of transition from coverage creation round Generative AI to lively use throughout the accredited coverage frameworks.
As know-how and resident expectations evolve quickly, authorities IT leaders proceed to prepared the ground. We stay up for seeing new priorities and alternatives emerge within the new 12 months.
Study extra: state and native authorities priorities 2024
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