New York State Office of Information Technology Services

ITS is driving AI education and literacy forward! The ITS Chief AI Office recently hosted our second 2026 CLI Hackathon, bringing together 60 pilot users to innovate for New York. Teams of up to five participants leveraged Code Assist tools to build working prototypes addressing real NYS business needs in just a few hours.

A huge congratulations to all participants. Thank you to everyone who brought their creativity and technical skills to build impactful solutions for New Yorkers!

ITS employees Sean Weiss and Francine LaFerriere work together at the State’s Emergency Operations Center in Albany. With multiple major events being hosted in the NYC Metro area and across the State this summer, their support is critical to keeping New Yorkers and their families safe.

ITS recognizes and celebrates the perseverance and strength of the Black community in New York State and across the country. Today, June 19, in observance of , the ITS offices will be closed.

Staying safe online and keeping records safe is crucial in a day and age where bad actors are pulling out every stop to gain access to your information. But what happens when security comes into conflict with customer experience? In part three of the IT'S a Tech Podcast multi-part series on customer experience, (CX) we’re sitting down with ITS Director of Cyber Defense and Response Brian Koon as we navigate the friction between keeping systems user friendly while keeping them safe. https://on.ny.gov/4uNNDIX

In honor of Pride month, we’re spotlighting a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, computer programmer and Chair Emeritus of the Linux Professional Institute, Jon “Maddog” Hall. Hall is globally recognized as one of the leading proponents of free open-source software. After coming out in 2012 in honor of Alan Turing’s 100th birthday, he is celebrated as paving the way for others in the tech space.

This weekend, Team ITS celebrated love and community at the Capital Pride Parade! 🏳️‍🌈♥️🏳️‍⚧️

At ITS, we are committed to fostering a workplace where all employees feel welcomed, valued and supported. Happy Pride!

Keeping your apps and software updated is a crucial part of cybersecurity. Software updates often contain patches for known vulnerabilities, making it hard for cybercriminals to steal your data. Install updates as soon as possible and enable automatic updates when available.

ITS today announced an enterprise cloud services agreement with Amazon Web Services (AWS), which alleviates procurement hurdles for state agencies, speeds up statewide innovation efforts, provides a wide range of first-class technology and training tools to the New York State workforce, and achieves significant cost savings for the State.

NYS CIO and Director of ITS Dru Rai said: “At ITS, we are committed to providing high-quality technology solutions in the most simple, streamlined, and affordable way possible. I thank AWS for being a trusted partner in our ongoing efforts to upskill the state workforce and assist agencies in delivering for New York, while ensuring our residents get the services they need and deserve in a timely manner. Today, we are choosing innovation AND affordability, and taking an important step forward in the State’s technology journey.”

Read the full release: https://on.ny.gov/43yW27P

Scammers are leveraging AI to generate highly convincing emails, phone calls, voice recordings and even videos. They are cleverly designed to mimic trusted individuals and legitimate organizations. Use these tips to protect yourself from AI scams.

- Implement a unique safe word to verify requests.
- Be cautious of messages that demand immediate action or payment.
- Limit the amount of personal information you share online.
- Pay attention to unusual wording.

Learn More: https://its.ny.gov/news/understanding-ai-scams