Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger ordered a statewide cybersecurity strategy to address threats from artificial intelligence, adding to states’ efforts to fill preparedness gaps left by the absence of comprehensive federal AI guardrails.

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Executive Directive 6, issued Friday (Oct. 23), instructs Virginia’s secretary of public safety and homeland security to develop a coordinated plan to prevent and respond to cyberattacks and strengthen critical infrastructure.

The initiative brings government agencies, universities and private companies into a common effort to identify vulnerabilities and prepare for disruptions, the Royal Examiner reported Sunday (Oct. 25).

The approach underscores how state AI safety efforts extend beyond rules governing developers and businesses. Governments also must protect their own systems and essential services as AI makes finding and exploiting software weaknesses faster and cheaper.

Spanberger criticized Washington’s response and framed the directive as an exercise of state responsibility amid federal inaction, the report said.

Virginia has particular reasons to act. It is home to several federal agencies and facilities, including the CIA and Pentagon, and many government workers. A Richmond Federal Reserve analysis identified Virginia as having one of the country’s highest shares of civilian workers employed by the federal government, underscoring its exposure to disruptions affecting public institutions.

The state also has historically welcomed technology investment. Northern Virginia hosts the world’s largest data center market , placing it among the most concentrated computing hubs anywhere in the United States, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission reported.

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