Key predictions included:
- Florida’s gov tech market will remain hot. “In 2023, the governor earmarked about $420 million in IT and technology advancements in the state’s budget,” Diaz said. “Cybersecurity also got a huge boost, with $60 million being allocated to various state agencies for security intelligence, modernization, training and resiliency. Broadband was also top of mind, with $100 million being allocated to expand high-speed Internet deployment across the state.”
- Gov. Ron DeSantis allocated substantial money for tech in his 2024 budget recommendations. “What stood out to us was an $80 million investment in the Florida Semiconductor Institute at the University of Florida to support workforce development for semiconductor manufacturing, along with a $35.5 million investment in the Florida Center for Cybersecurity to strengthen the state’s cybersecurity industry.”
- AI is top of mind for legislators. “I definitely think AI will be on the governor’s and legislators’ radar. Two bills have already been filed, one of which would create an Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council within the Department of Management Services to study and monitor the development and deployment of artificial intelligence systems in state government. That’s huge! It means assessing the need for legislative reform and creating a state code of ethics for AI systems in state government.”
To see the full interview, check out the video below.
