Critical Infrastructure Security: What State and Local Leaders Need to Know

by  Mickey McCarter

Here's how utilities and their public sector partners can strengthen electric grid security.

Summary

Critical infrastructure security, particularly for the electric grid, is a growing concern due to the expansion of attack surfaces from retrofitting aging systems with networked computing power.

This creates gaps in security, exacerbated by inconsistent governance and a lack of resources for robust cybersecurity programs. Best practices for securing critical infrastructure include designing for security, implementing secure-by-design principles in the supply chain, segmenting networks, hardening IT defenses, and continuously assessing and monitoring for anomalies.

 Read full story at StateTech…

Defense Authorization Bill Includes Billions for Cyber, Intelligence Matters

by  David Dimolfetta

The NDAA notably deviates partly from President Donald Trump's national security strategy, which seeks some distance between the U.S. and Europe. It also makes a sweeping regulatory harmonization demand.

Summary

The National Defense Authorization Act for FY26 allocates billions to cybersecurity, emphasizing threats from foreign adversaries. It mandates the Department of Defense to harmonize cybersecurity regulations by June and includes measures for enhanced cybersecurity protections for senior officials' mobile phones.

The bill also addresses AI and cybersecurity adoption, requiring the development of a framework to mitigate risks associated with these technologies.

 Read full story at NextGov…

What Is Generative AI? Most of the Public Sector Workforce Doesn't Know

by  Chris Teale

A recent survey found that only about a third understands the technology, and that even fewer use it daily. But a few basic approaches could change that, experts say.

Summary

Governments are increasingly adopting generative artificial intelligence to streamline procurement, compare city data, draft communications, and summarize meetings. Yet a recent SAS survey reveals a significant knowledge gap: only 37% of public sector employees understand generative AI well, and just 13% of organizations use it daily. Fourteen percent report no usage at all—the highest non-adoption rate across sectors.

Only 52% of governmental bodies have established generative AI policies, leaving many employees hesitant to experiment. Experts note that caution is typical; local governments prefer to be “first to be second,” waiting for others to navigate risks first. Without hands-on experience, workers see every use as risky.

Data privacy and security remain top concerns, while bias worries rank lower—possibly because many still underestimate how biased training data can perpetuate discrimination. Leaders urge treating generative AI like a “junior analyst”: review its output carefully, build trust gradually, and use early experimentation to inform stronger policies.

 Read full story at Route Fifty…

Is That an AI Image? 6 Telltale Signs It's a Fake

by  Elyse Betters Picaro

AI slop is everywhere, and it's getting harder to tell what's real. But these tips and tools can help.

Summary

Generative AI models are creating increasingly realistic images, coined “AI slop,” making it difficult to discern reality. However, subtle flaws remain. To detect fakes, inspect images for garbled text, anatomical errors like extra fingers, or an “uncanny” plastic-like smoothness. Other indicators include chaotic backgrounds, impossible lighting, or a distinct lack of texture in “restored” photos. Even small businesses inadvertently betray themselves with overly perfect, illustrated-looking product shots.

Beyond visual inspection, technology offers solutions. Google’s Circle to Search and Gemini app can identify AI content by detecting metadata like SynthID watermarks. While not foolproof, combining these free tools with a keen eye for physical inconsistencies is your best defense against digital deception.

 Read full story at ZDNET…

JavaScript Turns 30: From 10-Day Prototype to the Backbone of the Modern Web

by  Alfonso Maruccia

From browser toy to global standard: JavaScript survived chaos, outlived Java applets, and became unstoppable

Summary

Why it matters: JavaScript, unveiled in December 1995 by Netscape and Sun Microsystems, now powers 98.9% of all websites and countless server-side and desktop projects, making it a cornerstone of the modern web despite lingering trademark disputes.

Created in a legendary 10-day sprint by Brendan Eich, JavaScript — originally called Mocha, then briefly LiveScript — was designed to add approachable interactivity to web pages. Inspired by Scheme, Self, and other languages, it was marketed alongside Sun’s Java, creating lasting confusion even though the two share almost nothing beyond the “Java” trademark.

Thirty years later, Java applets have vanished, Java thrives in enterprise backends, and JavaScript dominates client-side, server-side (Node.js), and cloud development. Standardized as ECMAScript, the language flourishes everywhere — except Oracle, which inherited the JavaScript trademark from Sun yet contributes nothing, continues to block the community from freely using the name it popularized.

 Read full story at TECHSPOT…

Use Google Play? You Might Get a Cash Payout From This $700 Million Settlement Soon

by  Artie Beaty

If you made a Google Play purchase between 2016 and 2023, and your account was located in the US, you're a part of the settlement. Here's what to expect.

Summary

Google settled a $700 million lawsuit regarding the Play Store, and users who made purchases between 2016 and 2023 may receive automatic payments.

The settlement also requires Google to make it easier to access and pay for apps, including allowing alternative billing systems and third-party app installations.

 Read full story at ZDNET…

Energy Department Launches Breakthrough AI-Driven Biotechnology Platform at PNNL

by  U.S. Department of Energy

U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright launched a new chapter to secure American leadership in autonomous biological discovery yesterday alongside scientists and private partners at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Summary

U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright commissioned the Anaerobic Microbial Phenotyping Platform (AMP2) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), heralding a major advance in America’s pursuit of leadership in autonomous biological discovery.

Developed in partnership with Ginkgo Bioworks, AMP2 is described as the world’s largest autonomous-capable system for anaerobic microbial experimentation. By integrating artificial intelligence and robotic automation, the platform will dramatically accelerate the identification, cultivation, and optimization of microbes—shrinking timelines from years to days or weeks.

“By launching AI-enabled, autonomous platforms like AMP2, our DOE National Laboratories are driving scientific breakthroughs faster than ever before,” Secretary Wright declared.

 Read full story at Energy.gov…

Google, NextEra Energy to Develop Data Centers With Power Plants on Site

by  Andy Peters

Tech companies are increasingly on the lookout for power supplies for data centers

Summary

Google and NextEra Energy, America’s largest renewable utility, announced Monday a landmark partnership to co-develop gigawatt-scale data center campuses with dedicated on-site power plants, tackling the industry’s acute electricity shortage.

The agreement targets multiple new facilities where generation capacity will be built alongside the data centers themselves, bypassing strained public grids. Neither company disclosed locations or financial details.

The move addresses surging power demand driven by e-commerce, streaming, and especially artificial intelligence, which requires far more electricity than traditional computing. Industry experts warn that insufficient grid capacity, financing, and land availability threaten data-center expansion nationwide.

The pact builds on prior Google– NextEra collaborations, including efforts to restart an Iowa nuclear plant and expand existing data centers.

 Read full story at Costar…

Suspicious Minds — Separating Hype from Reality on Data Center Power Demand

by  Lisa Shidler

All the speculation you hear about the future of data centers comes with the promise of massive amounts of electricity usage down the line. But which facilities are using the most grid power right now?

Summary

The largest U.S. data centers, many built over a decade ago, are consuming significant electricity, with the top 11 sites using an estimated 3,000 MW. Google's Council Bluffs, IA, complex leads with a speculated 500-600 MW, followed by Microsoft's Quincy, WA, site at a similar level.

While data on exact power usage is scarce, these facilities are major grid consumers, often exceeding the power needs of millions of homes.

 Read full story at RBN Energy…