DOE Budget Proposal Shifts CESER’s Cyber R&D Toward AI, Cuts Spending – MeriTalk
DOE Budget Proposal Shifts CESER’s Cyber R&D Toward AI, Cuts Spending – MeriTalk
Publish Date: 2026-04-07 18:03:00
Source Domain: www.meritalk.com
- The Trump administration’s FY 2027 budget proposal would shift the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) funding from traditional cybersecurity research to artificial intelligence (AI) with a 16% funding cut.
- CESER would undergo a new funding structure including two programs: the Threat Analysis and Incident Response (TAIR) program and the Infrastructure Hardening and Technology Development program, designed to reduce duplication and streamline the budget.
- The Infrastructure Hardening and Technology Development program would focus on AI-FORTS and protect critical energy systems from multiple threats by pairing infrastructure upgrades with advanced R&D, including AI.
- The budget proposal would eliminate funding for other programs like policy preparedness, risk analysis, management tools, and technologies.
- CESER is projected to receive just over $160,000 in FY 2027, compared to $200,000 in FY 2025 and $190,000 in FY 2026 if the proposal is adopted.
- TAIR would become a central hub for identifying and responding to risks facing U.S. energy infrastructure, focusing on threat analysis, information sharing, and all-hazards emergency response.
- The restructuring emphasizes a risk-informed approach to infrastructure protection and aims to streamline emergency support coordination with state and local partners.
