Digital States Survey Identified Tech Progress Trends
The 2026 report reveals that cybersecurity, AI integration, and funding hurdles define current state government priorities.
Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Cybersecurity
Live Poll
Do you trust your state government to effectively manage and secure your personal data?
The Center for Digital Government released the 2026 Digital States Survey, evaluating the technology accomplishments of all fifty states over the last two years. Nearly half of the states achieved top performer status, with eleven states showing marked improvement since 2024.
Why it matters
These findings provide a diagnostic framework for states to identify improvement opportunities and align their future technology strategies. The survey highlights how jurisdictions are currently balancing operational innovation against persistent funding and governance constraints.
While 80% of states report integrating AI across policy and tech, nearly 80% are still in the evaluation or piloting phase for dedicated AI security platforms. Meanwhile, 95% of IT leaders report navigating funding constraints, and 78% cite ongoing challenges with enterprise governance.
The players
Center for Digital Government
A research and advisory institute that focuses on state and local government information technology policy and performance.
NASCIO
The National Association of State Chief Information Officers, representing state IT leaders and policy makers.
The details
The Center for Digital Government evaluates performance based on state priorities, operational improvements, cost savings, innovation, and cross-agency collaboration. States are measured on progress since the previous cycle to determine how they integrate new tools while maintaining enterprise governance—the systems and processes used to ensure IT resources align with business goals. This year, the focus centers on cybersecurity, which persists as the primary IT priority for state leadership.
Timeline
2024: The baseline year for measuring comparative performance improvements.
September 24, 2026: The Center for Digital Government announced the official survey results.
September 27, 2026: The awards ceremony takes place at the NASCIO annual conference in San Diego.
The Tech Race
This report serves as the primary benchmark for measuring how states compete in digital transformation and infrastructure resilience. It updates the performance trends established by the Center for Digital Government's biennial Digital States Survey.
Residents will see the results of these priorities through the ongoing digitization of state services and increased integration of AI in administrative workflows. These shifts prioritize infrastructure security and agency collaboration over the next 12 to 18 months.
The takeaway
The trajectory of state IT confirms that cybersecurity and AI governance are now the central pillars of digital policy. Stakeholders should track the upcoming 12-18 month implementation cycle, as states prioritize shared services to mitigate current funding limitations.
What happens next
The top-performing states will be formally recognized during the awards ceremony at the NASCIO annual conference on September 27, 2026.
Further reading
For more information on the evolving landscape of government IT security, visit Cybersecurity.
More information
View the complete 2026 Digital States Survey results and summaries.
Live Poll
Do you trust your state government to effectively manage and secure your personal data?
