Technology
New York City will try (again) to regulate AI
The council passed a package of bills creating a new ‘office of algorithmic accountability.’ It’s not the first attempt to rein in AI use.
Kansas looks to tech to modernize agency rulemaking
The state will use a cloud-based platform to draft, publish and take comments on regulations, having relied on paper since 1965.
Inside the Secret Service hunt for skimmers as outdated SNAP cards let thieves steal millions
The government still uses 1970s-era technology to deliver SNAP, leaving beneficiaries vulnerable to transnational crime rings that have taken hundreds of millions of dollars in benefits in recent years.
From flashlight fixes to future-ready innovation: Why we must stop patching and start building anew
Real innovation isn’t about fixing old switches. It’s about recognizing when it’s time to stop patching and start fresh.
From technologist to ‘digital governor’: State CIO role has evolved dramatically
Once expected to be a purely technical role, research found the job has evolved to be a strategic leader, communicator and bridge between the governor, legislators and more tech-focused positions.
Pennsylvania lawmakers study ‘bell-to-bell’ cell phone ban in schools
Cell phone usage in schools is a hot-button issue in the state.
States’ IT modernization dreams run into budget realities
Federal funds have largely dried up, meaning state tech leaders are worried about how they will be able to afford to execute their strategies and wondering where more money can come from.
Here’s how NY plans to regulate kids’ use of social media
The state attorney general’s office released draft rules around age verification and prohibitions on showing algorithmic feeds to minors without parental permission.
Eric Adams wants to use AI to make NYC hiring faster
“OMB is not the mayor, I’m the mayor,” Adams said when asked whether the city’s budget office interferes too much and slows hiring.
Upgraded 911 and reauthorized FirstNet among public safety officials’ tech priorities
Emergency management and law enforcement officials told a House subcommittee there is much to be done if states and localities are to be able to respond to multiplying threats and challenges.
Featured eBooks
2025 is the year New York political campaigns embrace AI
From uncanny music videos to policies researched by ChatGPT, the AI revolution has come for the political campaign industry, for better or worse.
Birmingham looks to write new chapter as a tech hub
Alabama’s “Magic City” often evokes images of heavy industry, or the nation’s difficult past. A coalition of businesses, political leaders and others are looking to turn it into a technology leader.
Age verification needs better privacy protections, report says
New America’s Open Technology Institute called for the use of zero-knowledge proofs, which verify a user’s age without disclosing any personal information.
The key to improving SNAP delivery is data
COMMENTARY | Data sharing can help identify potentially eligible individuals, ease the income verification process and even reduce fraud.
Virginia Lottery looks to AI to improve gamers’ experience
After a bumper 2024 and alongside his role as sports betting regulator, Virginia Lottery Executive Director Khalid Jones has taken inspiration from Candy Crush and other apps as he plans for the future.
Forensic crime labs are buckling as new technology increases demand
A major federal funding cut could make labs’ struggles worse.
Threat intel firms on alert for government systems impacted by Microsoft SharePoint vulnerability
Governments, schools, healthcare providers and large enterprise firms are at risk, one cyber threat intelligence chief said.
‘Uncertainty’ swirls around federal funding cuts’ state and local impact
State and local tech leaders said during a webinar the impacts may not be truly felt until the end of this year. They said governments cannot just “hunker down,” but must prioritize where to spend.
‘This is a competition we have to win’: 4 observations from Dave McCormick’s AI and energy summit
Top leaders in tech and politics, including President Donald Trump, traveled to Pittsburgh for the inaugural event.
AI ‘detective’ sheds light on how people make decisions
A new study deploys small neural networks to clarify how and why people make the decisions they make.
