Watch for GenAI browsers, purple teaming and evolving AI policy in 2026

Artificial intelligence will continue to drive federal modernization in 2026, but with this rapid adoption comes increased risk.   

Last May, the FBI publicly warned that cybercriminals and state-linked threat actors were using AI-generated text and voice deepfakes to target U.S. federal and state government officials in sophisticated phishing campaigns. Similarly, in September, Anthropic security researchers discovered one of the first documented cases where AI, with minimal human intervention, operated a large-scale cyberespionage campaign.  

It’s clear that as more organizations begin to embrace AI in all levels of government, bad actors are also turning to the technology.  

U.S. agencies must proactively address these unique agentic AI threats before they impact mission-critical operations. But it's not easy; mitigating these risks means investing in new security approaches, such as autonomous purple teaming and staying informed about evolving AI policy and regulations.

New security strategies, including autonomous purple teaming, will ...