Cybersecurity Policy Report, California Governor Orders Agencies to Harness AI for Cyber Defense, (Aug 11, 2026)
The California state government intends to use cyber-capable AI (artificial intelligence) to find and fix vulnerabilities within the networks of state and local governments and critical infrastructure under a directive announced yesterday by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D.).
Under Gov. Newsome’s order, the state will establish an AI cyber defense program within the California Cybersecurity Integration Center “to leverage AI for vulnerability detection, network hardening, and incident response to strengthen the state’s cybersecurity posture and protect critical infrastructure,” according to a news release.
The state government also will provide “access to advanced cybersecurity capabilities for local governments and critical infrastructure partners, including AI-enabled defenses” and designate an AI cybersecurity officer in every state agency, the news release says.
“Recent disclosures by leading AI developers demonstrated that advanced AI systems were capable of independently carrying out sophisticated cyber operations during controlled testing environments, exposing novel risks. At the same time, adversaries continue to use increasingly capable AI systems to facilitate attacks—and to do so more cheaply and effectively than ever,” it notes.
“The digital environment is rapidly evolving before our eyes. Attacks are faster, more sophisticated, and more frequent, putting at risk the basic systems families count on. California can either wait for the next crisis, or we can build the kind of defenses this moment demands. We are choosing to build,” Gov. Newsom said.
“Cyberattacks can disrupt the essential services Californians rely on every day, including water, power, transportation, and emergency communications,” said Caroline Thomas Jacobs, director of the state’s Office of Emergency Services. “This new program will help Cal OES and our partners detect threats sooner, share information more efficiently, strengthen defenses, and respond faster, helping keep these critical services safe and reliable for communities across California.”
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