The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) published the State CIO Top 10 for 2026, marking the 20th anniversary of the report. The 2026 State CIO Top 10 Priorities, released December 15, features two top ten lists, one for strategies, policy issues and management processes and the other for technologies, applications and tools. For the first time, artificial intelligence took the number one spot for policy issues, overtaking cybersecurity, which held the top position for 12 years. According to NASCIO, “other notable shifts include significant upward movement for accessibility and budget and cost control; the return of consolidation to the list; and declines for digital government and data management.”
Top Priorities for Strategies, Policy Isses and Management Processes include:
Top Priorities for Technologies, Applications and Tools include:
See all of the priorities on the NASCIO website.
For a thorough discussion of artificial intelligence, along with technology trends and tools, watch GL Solutions’ webinar From AI to Automation—Regulatory Trends & Tools for the Future.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on December 11 to restrict states’ authority to regulate artificial intelligence and establish a “minimally burdensome” national policy framework for the technology. According to FedScoop on December 11, David Sacks, the White House’s AI and cryptocurrency special advisor, emphasized the need for a federal standard. “You’ve got 50 states running in 50 different directions. It just doesn’t make sense,” Sacks said. The order states: “It is the policy of the United States to sustain and enhance the United States’ global AI dominance through a minimally burdensome national policy framework for AI.” And the executive order specifies that within 90 days the Secretary of Commerce plans to evaluate and identify state laws in conflict with that policy.
The order points to three reasons for the change:
In a November 26 letter to congress, the Executive Director for the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) wrote to express “strong concern” over efforts to federally preempt state measures establishing effective AI safeguards.
In a recent GovRAMP panel discussion, experts shared the innovations needed to help governments scale cloud adoption securely and consistently. As cloud adoption increases among state and local governments, they explained, regulatory leaders face complexity because of inconsistent procurement processes and diverse security requirements. And cloud service providers play an important role in creating clear standards and promoting best practices. They agreed that progress happens when governments and providers work from a shared foundation. “As agencies look for ways to streamline adoption while maintaining strong security,” GovRAMP explained, “cloud service providers (CSPs) play an important role in helping drive clarity, alignment, and repeatable best practices.”
Renee Moseley joined GL Solutions in 2016 with an educational and professional background in research and writing, along with software documentation. At GL Solutions she produces informative content to help regulatory agencies stay current on news and information that supports their success.
