Cyber attackers are already using AI, and local governments must keep up
As automated cyber attacks such as AI-driven ransomware and sophisticated network injections become increasingly rampant, U.S. state and local governments are shifting from "can we trust AI" to "how to use AI for defense." According to the 2026 NASCIO survey, 23 states have already used AI for cybersecurity operations, and another 21 states plan to follow suit within 12 months. California, New Jersey, and other places have taken the lead in deploying AI real-time monitoring and threat intelligence platforms to narrow blind spots and accelerate response. The author of this article, Tim Miller (Field CTO at Dataminr), points out that governments need to build digital fortresses with real-time, trustworthy AI intelligence, protecting public trust while safeguarding data.
Tim Miller is the Field Chief Technology Officer at the AI company Dataminr, focusing on real-time events, threats, and risk intelligence.
For years, discussions about AI applications in government have been dominated by one question: Can we trust it?
As state and local agencies face a new era of automated cyber warfare—from AI-driven ransomware to sophisticated cyber injections—the answer is being written in code. State leadership is deploying AI-powered defense systems that not only monitor traffic but also provide real-time intelligence to defuse threats before they endanger public trust.
This shift toward AI is backed by data. According to the2026 State CIO Surveypublished by the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO), 23 states are already using AI to enhance cybersecurity operations, and another 21 plan to adopt it within 12 months. Alongside these investments, state and local governments face a critical challenge: how to leverage AI to improve public safety and crisis response while deploying systems the public can trust?
Putting AI into Action
State and local jurisdictions are leveraging AI in a variety of scenarios, from AI detecting tax fraud to smart signals that adjust traffic lights based on real-time traffic conditions. Cybersecurity has also become a key focus area. In fact, the2025 NASCIO Reportfound that state CIOs are using AI for cybersecurity incident analysis to help identify, investigate, and interpret potential intrusions.
In California, state cyber leaders are usingAI-enabled toolsto provide around-the-clock monitoring, threat detection, and incident response support for their agencies (as well as local, education, and special districts). California's approach operationalizes AI-assisted cybersecurity across multiple jurisdictions, lowering the barrier for smaller counties and cities to access advanced detection and response capabilities.
The New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell is leveraging AI to build acomprehensive on-demand view of its threat landscape. This includes using AI to condense lengthy technical reports into key facts and information, providing state cyber analysts with the context they need for rapid decision-making.
Prioritizing Real-Time Data Analysis
In today's threat environment, risks can come from anywhere—digital, physical, cyber, or operational. All domains are interconnected, and ignoring one leaves the others exposed. Eliminating blind spots caused by this convergence is critical.
State and local governments are making significant leaps in identifying, interpreting, and responding to risks across government departments. By deploying AI-driven real-time information platforms, state and local governments gain an advantage over potential attackers in incident, threat, and risk intelligence.
These three types of intelligence answer the "what, so what, now what" behind every security incident, transforming reliance on static security advisories into alerts that dynamically update based on new developments and information.
Furthermore, by leveraging tailored intelligence that adapts to internal telemetry and specific agency needs, state and local cyber teams can accelerate operations without manual research cycles, additional tools, or complex workflows.
These strategies help governments reassess trust relationships, re-evaluate exposure levels, and mitigate risks before damage occurs.
State and local governments are beginning to understand the risks posed by AI tools and are prioritizing public trust. To equip public safety agencies with tools that can make life-saving decisions, these governments are weighing how to use AI technology responsibly, reducing risk by leveraging high-impact, real-time alerts.
Ultimately, the goal of state and local cyber leaders is to build a digital fortress that requires no "leap of faith." By replacing static defenses with AI-driven real-time intelligence, governments are proving they can stay ahead of adversaries while keeping public data—and their trust—safe and secure.