NASCIO

The National Association of State Chief Information Officers has named a new president, vice president and secretary/treasurer for the program year ahead. The organization also welcomed a new director to its Executive Committee.

Chief Information Officer Mark Raymond is on a mission to convince decision-makers that technology doesn’t just cost money — it provides value. “It’s how we improve in government at all.”

CISO John Godfrey sees potential for AI to help cybersecurity teams know when it’s safe to push patches fast. At the same time, he’s keeping an eye on AI-powered threats like deepfakes.

The National Association of State CIOs (NASCIO) held its annual conference in New Orleans, La., this past week. Here are some of the highlights, along with some thoughts about what the future holds for state CIOs.

At the recent NASCIO 2024 Annual Conference, CIOs talked about the legal concerns that will help guide the development of AI and other technologies. Freedom of Information matters around public data are in the forefront.

The state hasn't broadly promoted the service yet, but Deputy CIO Paula Peters hopes one day residents across Missouri will also be able to access local government services through the platform.

The Ohio Office of Information Technology has plans to streamline the state’s IT infrastructure in a few key areas. CIO Katrina Flory outlines several current projects underway.

On the final day of its 2024 Annual Conference, the organization recognized tech and cyber teams and leaders in more than a dozen states for their long-term contributions, and for success in specific initiatives.

Filling cybersecurity and IT positions is, for many governments, a long-standing challenge. At NASCIO, Montana CIO Kevin Gilbertson explains his state’s successful strategy of hiring and training up applicants from other government agencies.

The organization's yearly State CIO Survey, released during its annual conference, documents perspectives on the growing role of AI and digital transformation in better serving constituents. State IT workforces, it indicates, are foundational to meeting rising demand for digital services.

Major IT modernizations are underway, but strict budgets and rising software prices can mean a greater role for the CIO in vendor negotiations. At the NASCIO 2024 Annual Conference, Montana CIO Kevin Gilbertson discussed working with companies of varying sizes.

State CIO Craig Orgeron said he believes many young tech professionals have the desire to do public service. At the NASCIO 2024 Annual Conference, he talked about seemingly small changes that might attract those workers.

At NASCIO, Illinois CIO Sanjay Gupta says he has won direct appropriations for tech from state officials. He wants to move away from the chargeback model eventually, which he says will result in better services.

At this stage of the hype cycle, artificial intelligence is demonstrating real value to state IT organizations. Arizona CIO J.R. Sloan is optimistic that solutions to emerging concerns around escalating energy use are on the way.

New privacy responsibilities, looming threats from GenAI and breached partners, and stubborn workforce and funding problems: here’s what CISOs are thinking about in 2024.

NASCIO President Jim Weaver questioned the need for chief AI officers, stressing instead that states would be better off deploying a team to manage their work with GenAI and its potential benefits.

Responses from 46 states show a big challenge for government in the AI era: many focus on data analysis and business intelligence while neglecting elements such as metadata management, master data and data stewardship.

As governments increasingly put end users at the forefront of how they're developing digital services, we checked in with state CIOs to see where that effort intersects with the rise of artificial intelligence.