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County IT to use $607,674 surplus for secure AI tools and cybersecurity upgrades
Summary
Prince William County authorized a $607,674 appropriation from a broadband project underrun on Sept. 23, 2025, to deploy secure AI tools for staff and to improve cybersecurity; the CIO said training and security controls will accompany any AI rollout.
Prince William County’s Board of County Supervisors approved a $607,674 budget appropriation on Sept. 23 to allow the Department of Information Technology to purchase secure artificial‑intelligence tools for county staff and to strengthen cyber defenses.
Rob Mancini, the county’s chief information officer, told the board that the funds come from an underrun on the county’s broadband fiber project and that state ARPA rules constrained how the surplus could be reassigned. He said staff will deploy AI capabilities under a “security‑first” approach so that new tools do not expose county data or create unintended leaks.
“Primarily, this will be something that we offer to the workforce in the form of first access to GPT that is secure,” Mancini said, adding that the county has identified instances of data leakage it can address with better tools and controls.
Why it matters: county employees handle resident data across social services, permitting, public safety and other systems. The CIO told supervisors that secure AI access could improve staff productivity but must be paired with cybersecurity protections and staff training to reduce risk.
Board concerns and direction
Several supervisors asked about how AI would be used in hiring and personnel screening. Supervisor Franklin asked whether AI screening tools could inadvertently exclude qualified applicants who do not use particular keywords in resumes. Mancini said he did not believe the county currently used AI for HR screening, though he agreed to check HR vendor practices and to coordinate with HR on safeguards.
Supervisor Bodie urged that digital‑literacy and AI‑literacy training accompany deployments so employees with varying levels of experience can use tools safely and effectively.
Next steps
The CIO’s office will proceed with procurement and scheduled cybersecurity upgrades; staff committed to training, access controls, and a security plan. Mancini told the board the appropriation will fund both AI tooling and overdue cyber investments and that the county’s planned purchases are already coordinated with regional IT efforts.
The board approved the appropriation by unanimous voice vote; the CIO will return with procurement details and a staff training plan.
