Securing AI: Advancing the national security mission

Artificial intelligence is not just a technological advancement; it's a national security priority. In this new era, AI is both a powerful technology that can bolster any organization’s cybersecurity capabilities and also a critical part of the technology infrastructure that we need to defend and protect.

Google recently commissioned IDC to conduct a study that surveyed 161 federal CAIOs, government AI leaders and other decision makers to understand how agency leaders are leading in this new AI era. The study found that internal cybersecurity protection is currently the top AI use case for federal agencies according to 60% of those surveyed.

In terms of their key drivers for implementing AI, 62% of federal agencies surveyed identified strengthening cybersecurity as a top motivator, and 40% of federal agencies stated that protecting critical infrastructure is a key driver of their AI investments¹.

Security leadership in the AI era

Agencies with high AI maturity, including the implementation of policies and standards for responsible AI practices, are leading the charge – and applying the strategic use of AI to implement security posture management tools and practices that help assess risk, monitor threats and respond to incidents. Championing a culture of AI innovation can bolster security and drive significant mission impact.

The partnership between the CAIO, CISO, and CTO is crucial for successful AI adoption. Of the federal agencies who responded, 54% consider the CTO as the most important collaborator in executing the CAIO’s initiatives, followed by the CISO at 51%.By working together, these leaders can harness the power of AI while effectively assessing risk, monitoring threats, and responding to incidents, ultimately safeguarding sensitive data and critical infrastructure.

For AI leaders across agencies in the AI era, The Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CAIO) Playbook: A Practical Guide for Advancing AI Innovation in Government provides insights and recommendations to create agency AI roadmaps that fortify security and accelerate mission impact.

Security and AI leadership in action: CalHEERS and Covered California

In the U.S., California, a state at the forefront of AI leadership, is spearheading the evaluation and deployment of ethical, transparent, and trustworthy AI. As part of statewide initiatives to study AI's development, use, and risks, Covered California is applying AI technology in an effort to streamline the process of providing essential benefits to residents.

California Healthcare Eligibility, Enrollment, and Retention System (CalHEERS), fortified its defenses, ensuring the protection of sensitive health information for millions of Californians. They successfully implemented Google Security Operations, an intelligence-driven and AI-powered platform, to protect sensitive patient data and operating systems across a multi-cloud infrastructure.

“Google Security Operations, combined with Deloitte's expertise, has provided us with the tools and capabilities we need to effectively navigate the complex cyber landscape and safeguard our multi-cloud environment." said Kevin Cornish, Chief Information Officer, Covered California.

Google's commitment to your mission with Secure AI

Google Public Sector is supporting agencies with an adaptive, secure, responsible, and intelligent way forward, protecting data and decisions with secure AI solutions and AI-powered security tools. Underscoring our dedication to this vision, we unveiled several important announcements at our recent Google Public Sector Summit, showcasing how our comprehensive approach, including Google's robust security infrastructure, industry-leading intelligence, AI-powered capabilities, and the Secure AI Framework (SAIF), can empower agencies to innovate with AI confidently and responsibly.

Cybersecurity is critical for national and economic security - and agencies need to continuously enhance their ability to address and respond to evolving threats. Google Public Sector is dedicated to partnering with government organizations to secure their AI systems and also provide them with AI-powered security solutions.

Join us at our Google Public Sector Summit On-Demand

To delve deeper into the critical intersection of AI and Security, register for the Google Public Sector Summit On-Demand on Tuesday, December 3rd, 2024. Google Public Sector leaders will explore a range of topics including how AI can be used to enhance national security while upholding safety and responsibility standards.

_{¹ IDC Signature White Paper, The Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CAIO) Playbook: A Practical Guide for Advancing AI Innovation in Government, sponsored by Google Public Sector, Doc# US52616824, October 2024.}