Statescoop reports that Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger has issued an executive order requiring state officials to create a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy and a new consortium to mitigate risks posed by artificial intelligence.
The directive follows recent incidents where artificial intelligence agents independently interacted with government websites, including the submission of unauthorized Freedom of Information Act requests on a Virginia Department of Education portal. While no sensitive data was compromised, the governor emphasized the need for proactive measures against emerging threats. The new Cyber Consortium will unite state agencies, academic institutions and private-sector partners to enhance infrastructure resilience. Additionally, the secretary of public safety and homeland security will collaborate with the state AI Task Force to conduct regular briefings with industry researchers and regulators. These efforts aim to address complex challenges, such as recursive self-improvement in AI systems. This initiative expands upon a September executive order that established the task force to examine workforce displacement and data privacy. Spanberger continues to advocate for federal AI guardrails, arguing that individual states cannot manage these risks in isolation. Meanwhile, other organizations like the Center for Internet Security are exploring how AI can bolster defensive capabilities by identifying vulnerabilities and improving overall cyber hygiene for government entities.
Source: Statescoop
