5 Questions About the Role of Code in Modern Government IT

by  Asim Iqbal

Modern code practices help state and local agencies scale services, strengthen security, accelerate innovation and improve cost-efficiency.

Summary

Modern code practices serve as the bedrock for enhanced citizen experiences, particularly when integrated with edge and core technologies. By adopting modular, cloud-ready architectures, state agencies can achieve the scalability necessary to handle sudden traffic spikes during elections or emergencies. Furthermore, implementing DevSecOps and rigorous code audits ensures that security vulnerabilities are mitigated long before they pose a threat to public data.

Innovation also accelerates through agile development and low-code platforms, allowing for rapid service deployment. These efficiencies extend to fiscal responsibility—optimized code reduces infrastructure demands, ensuring better use of taxpayer funds. Finally, the integration of AI is crucial; it automates the detection of inefficiencies and bugs, streamlining performance and safeguarding government IT environments against potential breaches.

 Read full story at StateTech…

How to Fix the Government's Phone Trust Gap

by  Jeff Huth

As digital defenses strengthen, fraudsters are pivoting to the phone channel, requiring agencies to shift from warning constituents about scams to providing verified identity signals

Summary

Government agencies have successfully fortified digital portals, yet this security has pushed fraudsters toward the vulnerable phone channel. As criminals increasingly use spoofed calls to impersonate officials, constituents have been conditioned to ignore government outreach, causing answer rates to plummet and operational costs to soar. Jeff Huth of TransUnion argues that this “trust issue” cripples agency efficiency and complicates identity verification

To combat this, agencies must adopt modern call authentication like the STIR/SHAKEN framework and verified caller ID. These tools provide non-spoofable signals—such as green check marks—that restore constituent confidence. Data from the VA shows that authenticated calling can reduce outreach attempts from ten to two. By treating phone lines as secured digital endpoints, leaders can minimize fraud and fulfill their missions more effectively.

 Read full story at FedScoop…

What Is CTEM, and How Is It Speeding Up Agencies' Threat Response?

by  Eric Marchewitz

Continuous threat exposure management adds environmental context to agencies' decisions about which threats to prioritize.

Summary

Continuous threat exposure management (CTEM) is a framework that leverages existing controls to continuously discover, prioritize, and remediate security exposures.

It differs from traditional vulnerability management by focusing on the business impact of vulnerabilities and how to mitigate them effectively. CTEM requires continuous refinement and can be automated, but agencies must consider their resources and energy before deploying it.

 Read full story at FedTech…

How to Build Your Own AI Agents With Google Workspace Studio

by  Howard Wen

A new no-code tool in Google Workspace lets you build custom 'flows' to automate your routine tasks. Here's how to use it.

Summary

Google Workspace Studio is a no-code tool that allows users to build custom AI agents, called “flows,” to automate routine tasks. These flows can be created using prebuilt templates, natural language prompts, or the flow builder tool, and integrate with various Workspace apps and some third-party apps.

The flow builder tool guides users through selecting a starter event, actions, and variables, and allows for testing before activating the flow.

 Read full story at Computerworld…

Open-Source AI Models vs Closed AI Models: Which Should You Choose in 2026?

by  Wahab

The performance gap just closed.

Summary

For years, closed AI models from OpenAI and Google dominated benchmarks. That changed in 2026. Open-source models like DeepSeek-V3 and Llama 4 now match—and sometimes surpass—proprietary giants on standard tests.

The real shift isn’t just performance parity. It’s about cost, control, and accessibility. Anyone with a decent GPU can now run powerful AI locally.

Closed models, such as GPT-5.2, Claude Opus 4.5, and Gemini, are accessed via paid APIs with locked weights and training data. Open models like Llama 4, DeepSeek-V3, and Qwen3 release weights publicly, allowing full customization, on-premises deployment, and fine-tuning on private data.

While closed models retain edges in frontier reasoning, advanced multimodal features, and polished safety tuning, open models deliver comparable results on knowledge, coding, math, and reasoning tasks at a fraction of the cost—often 87% cheaper. Training an open model like DeepSeek-V3 reportedly cost just $5.6 million versus over $500 million for GPT-5.

Enterprises in regulated sectors value the data sovereignty and independence open models provide. As tools like Ollama simplify deployment, the AI landscape is shifting toward a hybrid approach: use closed APIs for rapid prototyping and open models for cost-effective, secure production.

 Read full story at Matrix Digest…

There's No Saving Windows 11. It's Time for Windows 12

by  Kyle Barr

Windows 11 can't overcome a slew of bugs, security holes, and AI slop. It's time for something new.

Summary

Windows 11 has become an overencumbered, slop-filled mess. Microsoft continues shoving new Copilot AI features into the operating system, leaving users increasingly frustrated. There comes a point where Windows 11 isn’t worth saving—perhaps Windows 12 can finally make things right again.

In recent weeks, Microsoft has attempted cleanup rotations to address Windows 11’s worst pain points. Latest OS previews now allow users to skip installing all updates during initial PC setup. A recent Windows Insider beta build also enables taskbar customization, letting users position the dock on the left, right, or top of the desktop. Microsoft has additionally promised faster File Explorer loading times.

Yet despite these efforts, the company keeps encountering new performance issues, bugs, and security hurdles. Pavan Davuluri, president of Microsoft’s Windows and devices team, stated in March that the company would be “more intentional” about Copilot integration, focusing on genuinely useful experiences. However, problematic features like Recall—a security nightmare that screenshots your screen and uses AI to analyze them—continue to undermine trust.

 Read full story at Gizmodo…

Quantum Computers Will Change Energy

by  Aaron Foyer

A memo from 2032, after the global realization of the technology's potential has spurred billions of investment

Summary

By 2032, quantum computers are expected to revolutionize the energy sector by solving complex problems that classical computers cannot. Startups are already using quantum computing to optimize battery performance, improve carbon capture technology, and enhance power grid efficiency.

While quantum computing facilities require less energy than AI data centers, the efficiency gains they provide will significantly outweigh their energy consumption.

 Read full story at UtilityDive…

Utilities Achieve Large-Scale Customer Engagement and Results with Oracle

by  Oracle Press Release

Nearly 45 million North American households are benefitting from Opower's AI-driven programs and insights to boost energy bill savings and grid resiliency

Summary

Oracle's Opower platform, utilizing AI and behavioral science, helps utilities improve customer engagement and grid reliability.

With 45 million North American households benefiting, Opower has achieved significant energy and bill savings. Evergy, a utility serving 1.4 million customers, successfully transitioned to time-of-use rates with Opower's support, saving over $2 million in call center costs.

 Read full story at Oracle…

Wyoming Electric Utility Dumps Wind and Solar in Long-Term Planning

by  Dustin Bleizeffer

PacifiCorp's previous upward trajectory for renewable energy will flatline beyond 2027 while its forecasted greenhouse emissions will rise.

Summary

One of the key driving forces behind the expansion of wind turbines in Wyoming is gutting plans for future renewable energy projects.

Rocky Mountain Power’s parent company, PacifiCorp, updated its long-range planning document in March, shifting its previous upward trajectory for new wind and solar throughout its six-state service region to flatline status.

The electric utility has no plans to add more wind or solar facilities in Wyoming, Utah, Idaho and California from 2027 through 2045.

“Changes in this update are largely driven by the July 4, 2025, repeal of major portions of the Inflation Reduction Act,” the company says. “The repeal was enacted through the [“One Big, Beautiful Bill Act”], which, significantly, phases out or eliminates highly impactful tax benefits, primarily for renewable solar and wind generation resources.”

 Read full story at Wyofile…