Available on Demand | August 19, 2026 | 1 Hour | 1 CPE

It is widely recognized that the introduction of AI tools is a two-edged sword when it comes to cybersecurity. Attackers, whether profit-driven hackers or hostile nation-states, are using AI to launch faster, wider-spread and more sophisticated attacks, including AI-generated phishing and spear phishing emails, malware capable of adapting to changes in defensive responses, and deepfakes that are very hard to detect.

State and local agencies are attractive targets, since there are many more of them and often do not have the financial or IT resources of federal agencies.

This makes state and local agencies’ use of AI in cyber defense critical – AI tools can operate at machine speed and scale and adapt in response to evolving threats. These tools can significantly improve threat detection and intelligence by identifying anomalies and patterns signaling attacks under way; automating incident responses such as isolating compromised devices and resetting credentials; using Natural Language Processing (NLP) to flag sophisticated phishing and social engineering attacks; and prioritizing vulnerabilities to emphasize the most critical risks.

Featured Speakers:

Miguel Penaranda, CISO & Operations Officer, State of Wyoming Office of Cybersecurity

Miguel Penaranda
CISO & Operations Officer,
State of Wyoming Office of Cybersecurity
Debbi Blyth, Executive Strategist, CrowdStrike

Debbi Blyth
Executive Strategist,
CrowdStrike
Adam Ford, CTO, State & Local Government and Education, Zscaler

Adam Ford
Chief Technology Officer, State & Local Government and Education, Zscaler
Morgan Reed, Distinguished Strategic Advisor & Field Chief Technology Officer, Okta

Morgan Reed
Distinguished Strategic Advisor &
Field Chief Technology Officer,
Okta
Jane Norris, Moderator & Contributing Editor, FedInsider

Jane Norris
Contributing Editor,
FedInsider