What to Know:

• The city-operated AI Factory processes real-time data from cameras, sensors and connected systems to enhance public safety, traffic control and emergency response, according to CIO Jorge Cardenas.
• The platform is powered by the city’s own fiber network and private 5G infrastructure, allowing for secure, high-speed data processing without relying on third-party cloud providers.
• Brownsville plans to offer compute capacity to neighboring cities that lack similar capabilities.

What to Know:

• Texas’ 2026–27 state budget includes more than $1 billion in IT capital funding for modernization across key agencies.
• Major initiatives include system overhauls at HHSC, TxDMV and DFPS, and creation of the new Texas Cyber Command.
• Agencies are expanding use of AI, automation and data integration, with new vendor opportunities expected in late 2025 and into 2026.

What to Know:

• The state of Texas spent about $6.3 billion on IT-related goods and services in Fiscal Year 2025.
• The Health and Human Services Commission and Department of Transportation were the top-spending agencies.
• Deloitte, Rackspace and the Texas Facilities Commission were among the highest-paid vendors.

What to Know:

• Several Texas agencies and cities appointed new CIOs in 2025, including Dallas, El Paso and the Office of Court Administration.
• Long-serving CIOs in San Antonio and statewide judicial services announced plans to retire.
• Agencies also added deputy CIOs to support cybersecurity, AI initiatives and IT modernization.

As we reflect on 2025, here are our picks for the largest, most impactful technology stories in Texas this year:

This year marked the inception of BMC Helix as an independent company. And we’re not just growing. We’re building for the future, boldly and for the long term. That’s why being recognized as a leader in The Forrester Wave™: Enterprise Service Management, Q4 2025 report is more than recognition.

Whether launching a customer-facing app or a cloud-native platform or integrating emerging technologies, effective quality assurance (QA) ensures software performs flawlessly, consistently, securely and swiftly. With AI, this strategic pillar of modern enterprises is undergoing a transformation — evolving into intelligent QA that delivers greater speed, precision and adaptability in testing.

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