The 2025 State Chief Information Officers (CIO) Survey from NASCIO, Grant Thornton, and CompTIA, now complemented by the NASCIO’s 2026 State CIO Top Priorities, offers a clear view of how state technology leaders are navigating an increasingly sophisticated digital landscape.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the State CIO Top 10, drawing insights from 51 state and territory CIOs. The findings underscore a pivotal shift in priorities, with artificial intelligence claiming the number one spot for the first time, overtaking cybersecurity after a 12-year run. Alongside these changes, CIOs are elevating accessibility, custom control and consolidation, while recalibrating focus in areas like digital government and data management.
Together these insights highlight how CIOs are balancing modernization, innovation, and accountability in the year ahead.
Evolving CIO roles
With a median tenure of just over two years, today’s State CIOs are leading in an era that demands both speed and vision. The survey underscores that modern CIOs are no longer just technology operators but they are change agents, trusted communicators, and enterprise strategists guiding statewide transformation.
Yet even with expanded mandates, familiar pressures persist: legacy systems, workforce shortages, and constrained budgets. These realities help explain why budget and cost control rose sharply on the 2026 Top 10 priorities. Today’s CIOs are expected not only to modernize, but to really transform the experience and do so responsibly with the idea of delivering measurable value for agencies, staff, and the public they serve.
From Strategy to Reality: AI Is Now in the Lead
For the first time in two decades, AI ranks as the top priority for State CIOs, signalling a decisive shift from experimentation to enterprise relevance.
Generative AI (GenAI) adoption is already well underway. Eighty-two percent of state IT employees now use GenAI daily, primarily through low-risk pilots and proofs of concept aimed at improving citizen services and operational efficiency. However, only one in four states have dedicated funding for GenAI initiatives, which limits opportunities for broader implementation and scalability.
This gap reinforces why CIOs are increasingly focused on governance, risk management, and return on investment as AI moves innovation labs into core government operations.
Accessibility Moves to the Forefront: Countdown to April
Accessibility has entered the State CIO Top 10 Priorities list for the first time, driven largely by the April 2026 compliance deadline from the U.S. Department of Justice and growing public expectations for equitable digital services. This milestone reflects a broader recognition that accessibility is no longer a peripheral concern but rather it is now central to how states design, deliver, and modernize digital government.
Today, nearly 70 percent of states have already implemented formal accessibility directives, signaling strong policy momentum. However, more than half (54%) report insufficient funding to fully remediate legacy systems, modernize digital platforms, and provide the ongoing training and governance needed for long-term compliance. This gap between intent and execution highlights a growing operational challenge for CIOs as demand for accessible, mobile-first, and citizen-centered services continues to rise.
The growing emphasis on accessibility signals a fundamental shift toward more inclusive, equitable digital government, where compliance, usability, and inclusion are inseparable. Citizens increasingly expect digital services to be as easy to use as commercial platforms---and for everyone, regardless of ability.
Modernization, consolidation, and the hybrid cloud reality
Modernization remains a constant theme, but its shape is continuously evolving. Every state now operates in a hybrid cloud environment, and many are formalizing governance through Cloud Centers of Excellence to strengthen security, control costs, and standardize best practices.
Notably, system centralization and consolidation have reentered the Top 10, signaling renewed momentum to reduce fragmentation, streamline platforms, and improve enterprise visibility. Meanwhile, priorities like digital governance and data management slipped in rank but not because they matter less, but because many states have already built strong foundations and are now shifting focus to execution, optimization, and long-term sustainability.
What does this mean for regulatory boards?
For regulator boards, these trends signal increasing expectations around secure, accessible, and auditable digital systems. Especially those tied to licensure, renewal and compliance.
“As states integrate AI into core government operations and strengthen their commitment to accessibility, regulatory boards need systems of record that are compliant by design, built with human-in-the-loop governance, and remain flexible enough to scale in step with current and future enterprise IT priorities.” - Kelly Parker, Vice President of External Affairs and Government Excellence, Propelus®.
Boards sit at the crossroads of public trust, compliance, and workforce readiness. As CIO priorities evolve, boards that modernize their processes, including licensure and renewals, continuing education management, and enforcement, will be better positioned to align with state IT strategies as they evolve. Legacy systems, paper-based processes and disparate systems no longer work, and there is every reason to modernize end-to-end workflows.
How Propelus CE Broker support State CIO priorities
Propelus CE Broker® directly aligns with several of the 2026 Top 10 priorities by helping regulatory boards modernize processes, strengthen governance, and enhance operational efficiency.
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Seamless, enterprise-ready integration: Connects with licensure systems to enhance and customize automated workflows dramatically reducing administrative burden.
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Built-in accessibility and compliance: Supports DOJ mandates and promotes inclusive, equitable service delivery across all users.
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Trusted data integrity and transparency: Strengthens governance, audit readiness, and decision-making with reliable, accessible information.
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Scalable, cloud-based infrastructure: Aligns with hybrid cloud strategies, optimizes costs, and supports long-term sustainability.
By modernizing continuing education management, CE Broker positions boards to not only meet evolving CIO expectations but to excel. It streamlines operations, improves efficiency for regulators and professionals alike, and provides a user-friendly experience that drives confidence, transparency, and measurable impact. With CE Broker, boards gain the tools to advance IT strategies, uphold public trust, and achieve sustainable, scalable results.
The takeaway
The 2025 State CIO Survey and 2026 Top 10 Priorities make one thing clear: state technology leadership is entering a new era. One defined by AI, accessibility, fiscal accountability, and enterprise execution. For regulatory boards and the partners that support them, alignment with these priorities is no longer optional; it is essential.
Learn more about how CE Broker supports state boards.