Envision: A State and Local Government IT Summit 2026
Overview
Envision
The mission of the Center for Digital Government is to help make government better. Our annual Envision Summit does just that – we convene the brightest minds in state and local government to imagine what’s next.
Envision is an invitation-only national Summit to bring together government executives from cities, counties and states across the county – alongside our trusted industry partners. With the theme “The answer is in the room,” the Summit creates space for meaningful peer-to-peer learning, network building and open sharing of the innovative work happening in government.
As we wrap up 2026, we are excited to host Envision – an opportunity to celebrate this year’s wins and chart a course for 2027 and beyond.
Speakers
Agenda
Wednesday, December 2 |
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8:00 am Pacific |
Registration & Breakfast |
9:00 am Pacific |
Welcome and Group IntroductionsPhil Bertolini, Chief Delivery Officer, e.Republic Teri Takai, Chief Programs Officer, Center for Digital Government |
9:15 am Pacific |
Facing the Fiscal Realities: Getting Control of Technology SprawlShrinking budgets and federal funding uncertainty are putting renewed emphasis on ”doing more with less”. As government technology environments expand, CIOs face a growing management challenge: understanding what they have, who is using it, what it costs and whether it is delivering value. The acceleration of AI adoption makes that challenge even more urgent as agencies experiment with new tools faster than traditional governance and inventory processes can keep pace with. CIOs face the challenge of putting AI in the hands the entire organization to drive innovation and efficiency vs controlling the cost and use of the tools. Will AI help? Can government afford it? Will AI-assisted ("vibe") coding accelerate legacy modernization? Who should have what tools? What are the risks? What is making a difference?
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10:00 am Pacific |
Break |
10:15 am Pacific |
The Next-Generation Workforce: Reinventing Technology OperationsGovernments face a workforce challenge that technology alone cannot solve: rising service expectations, talent shortages, constrained budgets and growing demand. AI and automation can expand the capacity of both IT teams and the agencies they support. The leadership challenge is where to deploy AI and how government work itself will change. This session will explore where tasks can be automated, where human judgment remains essential, which jobs are more likely to change and what new skills employees and managers will need. Cybersecurity and the ‘need for speed’ is one example of the changing role of staff vs. automation. Where is automation best used? How are technology partners adding new capabilities? How will roles change? How can government prepare employees and managers for the future?
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11:00 am Pacific |
Break |
11:15 am Pacific |
Fail Fast, Learn Faster: What Early AI Projects are Teaching UsGovernment conferences understandably celebrate successful innovation. But some of the most valuable lessons come from projects that failed to meet expectations, produced unexpected results or were deliberately stopped. As governments move from AI experimentation toward larger investments, learning quickly from those experiences will become essential. What are early AI projects teaching state and local governments about data readiness, technology performance, integration, workforce adoption, unrealistic expectations and poorly defined business problems? What are the right metrics? How do pilots scale successfully? What is the ‘right’ business problem? How are ‘unsuccessful’ pilots funded? How do the pilots help develop the right skill sets? This session will dive into lessons learned to provide insights into the pace of change that works.
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12:00 pm Pacific |
Lunch |
1:00 pm Pacific |
The Digital Gap: How Do We Build Constituent Trust?Digital government services have improved measurably, but studies show that usage and trust haven't caught up. Constituents still default to preferred channels like calls, in-person visits, or giving up. This trend impacts government’s ability to become more efficient through the use of AI and technology innovations to reach constituents faster where they are. Digital Services efforts are based on human-centered design to better connect with constituents but is it enough? Will trust be a barrier to technology and AI adoption? Is this generational? How can state and local government engage with the constituents to build trust?
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1:45 pm Pacific |
Break |
2:00 pm Pacific |
AI at the Edge: When Everything is Connected… and IntelligentThe boundaries of government IT have expanded. Transportation systems, buildings, utilities, cameras, vehicles, sensors, public safety equipment and other physical infrastructure are connected - and increasingly intelligent. What challenges will enterprise IT face as AI moves to the edge. Where do the data reside? What is the impact on networks? How will governments take advantage of intelligent infrastructure without creating unmanageable complexity or risk? With the convergence of IT, operational technology, IoT and AI, how is responsibility shared across CIOs, agencies and operational departments?
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2:45 pm Pacific |
Break |
3:00 pm Pacific |
Preparing for the Future: Are We Ready to Lead What’s Next?Technology is changing faster than the structures government uses to make policy, manage risk, build a workforce and earn public trust. AI, autonomous systems and connected infrastructure are shaping how government operates. The leaders who govern through this transition do not need to become technologists, but they do need enough fluency to make hard decisions under uncertainty.
How will CIOs build a culture of continuous change in their organizations? How will leaders make policy when technology evolves faster than legislation? What role will the CIO have in educating and guiding elected officials? What is the impact on union employees? This conversation will explore what governors, mayors, agency executives and CIOs face to govern effectively in the next decade.
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3:45 pm Pacific |
Day One Wrap Up |
4:00 pm Pacific |
Break until Dinner |
6:00 pm Pacific |
Dinner |
Thursday, December 3 |
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8:00 am Pacific |
Breakfast |
8:45 am Pacific |
Who’s in Control: Governing in the Age of AI AgentsState and local governments spent 2024–2025 experimenting with generative AI chatbots, drafting tools, developing policies and procedures. In 2026, they made the move to agentic AI -- systems that don't just answer questions but take actions inside defined workflows. In effect, government has a digital workforce operating alongside their human workforce. That creates opportunities for productivity - and fundamentally new questions about governance. What happens when government must supervise a combination of people and AI agents. Do they have the right tools? What policies and processes are needed? How should performance and behaviour be monitored? This session will dive into the evolving challenges of the next generation of AI governance that operationalizes the procedures and guardrails that government has built.
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9:30 am Pacific |
Break |
9:45 am Pacific |
The AI Bill is Coming: Can Government Afford It?AI pilots can be inexpensive and impressive. Scaling AI across an enterprise includes cloud and compute consumption, connectivity, data infrastructure, storage, integration, licensing, workforce and ongoing management. Usage-based pricing is putting the cost of AI front and center for IT leaders. What is needed to budget for AI usage? How can IT estimate the cost of AI before implementation? Where is AI genuinely reducing government costs or increasing capacity and where is it simply adding another technology layer? Does the cost go beyond AI to data preparation and integration? As agencies push for greater AI adoption, this session would look at how leaders are planning to better understand and manage AI cost.
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10:30 am Pacific |
Moving into 2027, What Tech Trends Did We Miss and What is to Come?As state and local government leaders move into 2027, it is a good time to step back and reflect on what is yet to come. This session will open the conversation to push the boundaries of the technologies that they support. Will AI technology leaders really self-govern? Will the pace of cybersecurity threats increase faster than the ability to remediate? Will critical infrastructure be at greater risk? Is quantum going to change the day-to-day operations anytime soon? Is the role of the CIO changing as technology is in the hands of everyone? What do the technology partners in the room have in the works that will be introduced in 2027? Now is the time to think big and send the room on their way with enthusiasm and great expectations for the New Year!
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11:15 am Pacific |
Closing RemarksPhil Bertolini, Chief Delivery Officer, e.Republic Teri Takai, Chief Programs Officer, Center for Digital Government |
11:30 am Pacific |
AdjournConference times, agenda and speakers are subject to change.
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Grand Hyatt Indian Wells
44-600 Indian Wells Lane
Indian Wells, CA 92210
760 776 1234
Grand Hyatt Indian Wells
Registration Information / Contact Us
Event Date: December 2 and 3, 2026
This is an invitation-only event, open to Public Sector only. For more information or to request an invitation, please contact Isabel McKee.
If you represent a Private Sector organization and are interested in Sponsorship Opportunities, please contact Heather Earney.
This event is open to all individuals who meet the eligibility criteria, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, age, disability, or any other protected class. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for all participants.
Contact Information
Need help registering, or have general event questions? Contact:
Isabel McKee
Center for Digital Government
A division of e.Republic
Phone: (916) 932-0722
E-mail: imckee@erepublic.com
Already a sponsor, but need a hand? Reach out to:
Mireya Gaton
Center for Digital Government
A division of e.Republic
Phone:(916) 296-2617
E-Mail: mgaton@erepublic.com
Want to sponsor and stand out? Reach out to explore opportunities!
Heather Earney
Center for Digital Government
A division of e.Republic
Phone: (916) 365-2308
E-mail: heather.earney@erepublic.com