Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger recently issued a new executive directive to improve the state’s cybersecurity in response to threats posed by artificial intelligence. However, the announcement was not entirely well received on social media, as the governor of Virginia faced some criticism over the decision.
The news was originally shared on the Virginia governor’s official X profile. Spanberger stated that AI was developing too quickly and that the moment demanded leadership and coordination to address cybersecurity threats, as advances in technology are making cyberattacks cheaper and easier to carry out.
She also criticized the federal government and Congress for failing to adequately address these dangers and said this was only the beginning of efforts to strengthen Virginia’s security.
Executive Directive 6 instructs the state’s Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security and Virginia’s AI Task Force to hold regular briefings with AI technology companies, as well as researchers and regulators. The goal is to evaluate risks and develop strategies to mitigate them.
Spanberger’s New Directive Sparks Skepticism
While the directive was arguably part of an effort to make Virginia safer from cyberattacks, the announcement was poorly received, and most comments on X were negative. Users complained about various perceived issues, including taxes. “Are you raising our taxes for that as you did on everything else,” one user wrote.
Others complained about mixed messaging: “And yet you continue your rapid expansion of data centers. The mixed messaging continues. Do you even know what you stand for?”
To some folks, however, the problem was that Spanberger kept announcing initiatives to consider solutions instead of simply solving them: “Once again you announce the forming of a committee to develop a plan as if it’s actual action.”
Some people also expressed skepticism: “Solid first step, but she’s still operating from a position of delusion if she really believes that Congressional action could prevent cyberattacks. You can’t stop open source models any more than you can stop peer-to-peer file sharing. Defense is all there is.”
Not every reaction was negative, however. One person wrote: “Good to see at least one Governor saying this!”
It remains to be seen how the plan will affect Virginia’s cybersecurity as technology continues to develop and pose new risks to public safety.
