Commonwealth Cyber Initiative announces funding for multiple AI and other critical infrastructure projects
Publish Date: 2026-03-16 04:00:00
Source Domain: cardinalnews.org
- The Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) announced its largest program yet, awarding $1.9 million to 19 projects using artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance cybersecurity for critical infrastructure.
- The projects focus on areas such as transportation, power grids, water, supply chains, and healthcare.
- AI involvement is prominent, with 14 projects leveraging artificial intelligence, highlighting its growing role in cybersecurity both for creating new risks and developing new defense tools.
- These initiatives feature inter-university collaboration, with researchers from multiple institutions including Virginia Military Institute, Longwood University, the University of Virginia, and others working together.
- Virginia Tech is notably involved in 11 of the projects, partnering with various universities to develop AI-based security strategies for power grids, water networks, industrial systems, and more.
- CCI Executive Director Luiz DaSilva emphasized that these grants will lay the groundwork for more significant future projects with substantial national and local impact.
