Security Partnerships May Increase
B ut where there are challenges, there are also opportunities, Reynolds noted. “Private industry is very supportive of working with local government to find solutions,” she said. “I think we’ll see more partnerships between the public sector and private industry as well as partnerships with universities.” State technology associations will also play an important role in bringing state and local leaders together to address regional needs. “It comes back to networking and to building relationships,” Reynolds said. “We’re all in this together and it’s going to take all of us, the technology village, pulling together.” According to a July 3 article in WeLiveSecurity, “Governments are among the largest consumers of cybersecurity services, and private companies are often reliant on the revenue from these contracts. Thus, any reduction in contracts may lead to reductions in headcount and in investment in research and
development. At the same time, it may further accelerate demand for automated features and AI support — perhaps even beyond what is currently proven efficacious.” Using artificial intelligence to automate cybersecurity functions like threat detection and response is already one of the most common AI use cases for state and local governments, according to research from the Center for Digital Government. Interest in these and other automation technologies could grow as states and localities attempt to stretch their cybersecurity dollars. For example, the recent announcement of winners in a multi-award cooperative contract announced by the North Central Texas Council of Governments and its collaborator, Civic Marketplace, included AI-enabled support for cyber security operations that help local governments automate monitoring and incident handling. That solicitation, geared to local governments, had 76 company award winners for a wide variety of AI products.
“I think we’ll see more partnerships between the public sector and private industry as well as partnerships with universities.”
Rita Reynolds, Former CIO, National Association of Counties
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