CIS and OpenAI Launch AI Pilot for State Cybersecurity Defense

The Center for Internet Security has launched a pilot program with OpenAI to explore how artificial intelligence can bolster cybersecurity defenses for state and local governments facing mounting threats with limited resources.

The AI Cyber Defense Pilot, announced Friday, will bring together state, local, tribal and territorial governments alongside critical infrastructure organizations including the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center. Participants will use OpenAI technology to identify security vulnerabilities, validate findings, prioritize risk mitigation efforts, support remediation work, and improve overall cyber hygiene practices.

Why it matters

The pilot arrives at a critical juncture for public-sector cybersecurity. Local governments are particularly vulnerable: 80% of respondents in a 2024 survey reported having fewer than five dedicated security employees. Meanwhile, state agencies demonstrate stronger cybersecurity maturity than local counterparts—46% versus 35%—largely due to greater technology funding. Testing whether AI can help smaller jurisdictions stretch scarce resources could reshape how governments defend against increasingly sophisticated attacks.

Timing follows federal funding shifts

The initiative comes as state and local governments shoulder greater cybersecurity responsibility following changes in federal support. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency ended its cooperative agreement with CIS last year, transitioning to a model based on grants, free tools, and direct assistance rather than sustained funding for MS-ISAC operations.

A CIS spokesperson expressed concern that funding reductions could create openings for adversaries, noting that MS-ISAC provides services the federal government does not offer and that state and local jurisdictions "are on the front lines of supporting much of the nation's critical infrastructure."

Resource constraints drive AI interest

Brian Calkin, chief technology and innovation officer at CIS, said the pilot will help determine "how AI can help organizations make smarter decisions, respond faster, and focus on the risks that matter most."

The resource gap is particularly acute at the local level. Tyler Scarlotta, member programs manager at CIS, explained that a city or county office may have just one dedicated IT or security employee managing numerous daily tasks and projects. "That employee likely does not have a lot of time to dedicate towards formalizing security practices," Scarlotta noted.

Cybersecurity officials increasingly view AI as a tool for processing large volumes of security data and helping human analysts contextualize potential threats—capabilities that could prove especially valuable for understaffed teams.

The pilot will test whether these theoretical benefits translate to practical improvements in real-world government security operations, potentially offering a model for how under-resourced jurisdictions can strengthen their defenses against persistent cyber threats.

These details were first reported by StateScoop.