On the Priorities podcast, Tennessee CIO Stephanie Dedmon says her state’s focus on automation is not designed to reduce headcount in the state, but rather to free up employees to work on more complex tasks.
https://statescoop.com/tennessee-launches-new-round-of-statewide-automation-projects/

Also on the podcast, Georgia CIO Shawnzia Thomas explains how her state is rolling out additional endpoint protections, and StateScoop 50 Award winner Jon Minshew talks about how he’s hoping to help state and local governments from the private sector.
https://statescoop.com/list/announcing-the-winners-of-the-2023-statescoop-50-awards/

Both Dedmon and Minshew are winners in the 2023 StateScoop 50 Awards.
https://statescoop.com/list/announcing-the-winners-of-the-2023-statescoop-50-awards/

In the news this week:
Florida’s CIO, Philadelphia’s CIO and Delaware’s CIO all announced they would step down this week. 
https://statescoop.com/florida-cio-james-grant-steps-down/
https://statescoop.com/philadelphia-cio-mark-wheeler-technology-transformation-services/
https://statescoop.com/delaware-cio-jason-clarke-resigns/

Texas is forming an artificial intelligence advisory council.
https://statescoop.com/texas-abbott-ai-advisory-committee/

Minnesota’s Department of Education says that personal information of about 95,000 students was breached as part of an ongoing and global exploit of a popular file-transfer system. 
https://statescoop.com/minnesota-department-education-moveit-cyberattack/

StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast is available every Thursday. 
Listen more here.
www.prioritiespodcast.com

How automation can make jobs ‘more interesting’

Each Wednesday, StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast explores the latest in state and local government technology news and analysis. Listen to in-depth conversations with government and industry’s top executives, and learn about trending stories affecting state and local IT leaders ranging from modernization and digital accessibility to the latest advances in generative artificial intelligence.