I don’t know that the executive directive from Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger directing the development of an AI plan of action is ultimately going to save us all, but she’s not just calling it SI and moving on.
“This moment demands leadership. It demands coordination. And it demands a thoughtful path forward to address the serious risk posed by the rapid development of AI — particularly as we have seen no leadership from this president and his allies in Congress,” Spanberger said on Friday, as her office rolled out her AI strategy.
Per a release from the governor’s office, Executive Directive 6 “instructs the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Stanley Meador to develop a Commonwealth-wide plan to prevent and respond to cyberattacks and strengthen the resilience of critical infrastructure.”
Spanberger has also ordered the establishment of a Cyber Consortium that the release tells us has the aim to “improve coordination with public safety leaders, emergency management personnel, state agencies, universities and higher education institutions, and private sector partners across the Commonwealth.”
The threat to humanity may be overstated, but the obvious flaws resulting from the lack of regulation and oversight of the rapidly developing AI sector can’t be ignored, with reports of AI models going beyond their instructions to access websites and hack government services, private companies and financial networks.
“We’ve already seen how real it is,” Spanberger said. “AI is rapidly reshaping the cyber landscape — evidenced by Anthropic AI agents taking improper actions on government websites across the country, including submitting fake Freedom of Information Act requests on a Virginia Department of Education website. While it is our understanding that no sensitive information was accessed, that makes me no less concerned about the future risks that lie ahead.”
Executive Directive 6 also instructs Meador, the former special agent-in-charge of the FBI’s Richmond field office, to “conduct regular briefings with leading AI technology companies, researchers and regulators to identify emerging threats, evaluate potential risks, and develop strategies to strengthen cybersecurity and safeguard public safety.”
“In public safety, preparation is pivotal to addressing all hazards. We cannot wait for a crisis to determine whether our systems, our workforce, and our partners are ready,” Meador said. “We must account for the full range of threats we face — including those that originate in cyberspace but have real-world consequences. Gov. Spanberger understands that protecting Virginians means preparing for threats across every domain. I’m proud to support her new executive directive — an important step forward in strengthening Virginia’s cybersecurity preparedness.”
The release tells us that the directive lays out framework for engaging “with public institutions of higher education and other states to assess AI cyber-risk preparedness and the risks of recursive self-improvement AI development.”
“This new executive directive is just the beginning,” Spanberger said. “I’ll continue to leverage my authority as Governor of Virginia to address these risks, strengthen our Commonwealth’s security, and prioritize the safety of Virginians. That is my obligation to every person in this Commonwealth, and I take it seriously.”
