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From the Desk of the Cyber Committee, February 2026

Committee Corner

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes the digital heartbeat of urban life, the need to secure and govern smart-city ecosystems has never been greater. The newly released AFCEA Cybersecurity Committee White Paper, “Securing Smart Cities in the Age of AI” (Volume 1: Strategy, Governance and Recommendations), provides a groundbreaking blueprint for how governments, industries and communities can work together to create resilient, trustworthy and ethical AI-enabled cities.

Developed through a cross-sector collaboration between AFCEA, ASQ, IEEE and HISPI, this first volume synthesizes global research, federal frameworks and real-world insights to help civic leaders navigate the complex intersection of cybersecurity, AI governance and public trust.

The white paper warns that as urban systems become increasingly data-driven and interconnected, the convergence of AI, information technology and operational technology is expanding the attack surface faster than existing defenses can evolve. Traditional cybersecurity models, built for isolated systems, cannot manage the adaptive, systemic risks emerging across transportation, health care, energy and emergency response networks.

To counter these threats, cities must shift from reactive protection to proactive governance, embedding accountability, transparency and ethical design into every stage of AI deployment. “Smart city deployments are no longer pilots,” the paper notes. “They’re battlegrounds for governance readiness.”

Volume 1 outlines five interdependent strategies to secure the future of intelligent urban systems from localizing frameworks to mandating algorithmic impact assessments.

The paper positions AI governance as the next generation of civic infrastructure, an ethical framework as vital as roads or power grids. It calls for whole-of-government and whole-of-community collaboration, linking technologists, policymakers and citizens in codesigning secure and equitable futures.

AI will continue to reshape how cities operate, but whether that transformation builds trust or tension depends on leadership. This white paper offers a path forward: governance that is as intelligent as the systems it oversees.