Hawaii

The university system's students and staff have free access to “AI Essentials,” a five-hour course in the Google Career Certificate program that teaches people to use AI responsibly and effectively.

While cybersecurity remains a high priority for many CIOs, we spoke to technology leaders to understand what other skills are difficult to find when recruiting new talent.

Honolulu's new CIO and director of the Department of Information Technology will officially step in, in January. However, the transition is expected to get underway next month, affording an interval of collaboration.

Plus, Oregon announces more than $100 million in funding for broadband, more states have been awarded federal funding, a new report aims to support nonprofit organizations in their digital equity work, and more.

Plus, Hawaii has launched a broadband mapping initiative, Boston has announced more than $1 million for digital equity, and more.

An 826-ton buoy hooked up at the U.S. Navy's Wave Energy Test Site off the coast of Oahu will be connected to the state's electrical grid by an undersea cable, making a small but important move away from fossil fuels.

Chief Information Officer Christine Sakuda explains how the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need to update older technologies, but the state workforce will also need new skills to support modern services.

The amount is in addition to $184,000 awarded to the state last year, on top of $222,000 granted in late 2020 as part of an initiative to protect children from lead in drinking water in Hawaii.

The university will use a grant from the National Science Foundation to improve its hardware and software, as well as train more than 200 undergraduates and 16 graduate students to apply advanced technologies to research.

Plus, the FCC is taking steps to update broadband data collection, more states have had their initial proposals for BEAD funding approved, Oakland got a grant to expand broadband infrastructure, and more.

State and municipal agencies and one of the nation’s most populous counties are integrating AI and GIS into their permitting systems, adding automation and enhancing transparency to improve service and accountability.

Most recently the executive director of the nonprofit Transform Hawaii Government, she will replace Doug Murdock as CIO and lead the state Office of Enterprise Technology Services starting Aug. 5.

Legislation awaiting Gov. Josh Green’s signature would have the state chief information officer no longer report directly to the governor. Critics say this could diminish the role and have a chilling effect on innovation.

The state’s chief information officer of more than five years has a varied background that includes 25 years in the U.S. Air Force. In Hawaii, he helped modernize and consolidate IT infrastructure.

CIO, Hawaii

The Hawai'i State Department of Education has flagged the fire-alarm systems at 15 of the state's 264 schools as inoperable and needing replacement — a concern in the wake of last summer's wildfires on Maui.

The deal comes amid a period of growth for MDF, which recently began working with the state of Hawaii. KKR’s $189 million plan, still subject to shareholder approval, reflects the growing presence of private equity in gov tech.

The Hawaii Department of Education's new data portal tracks 22 data sets related to student proficiency and learning, the educator workforce and school operations, with more data sets to be added over time.