US Energy Dept Flags AI, Cyber Gaps as Top Risks for 2026

New Report Says DOE Cyber and AI Governance Is Lagging Behind Rapid Deployment Chris Riotta (@chrisriotta) • December 24, 2025

The U.S. Department of Energy is heading into 2026 facing a growing disconnect between how quickly it deploys emerging technologies and how unevenly it is governing them, according to a new inspector general report that describes artificial intelligence and cybersecurity as two of the agency's most significant management challenges.

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In an annual assessment of management risks, auditors highlighted AI and cybersecurity governance as enterprisewide gaps cutting across DOE's centralized structure, contractor-heavy operating model and national security responsibilities. The report warns that without stronger coordination and oversight, the department's growing reliance on advanced digital systems could expose critical infrastructure to unnecessary operational and security risks.

Auditors called cybersecurity a top ongoing departmental risk - particularly ...