artificial intelligence

Countywide

New FCPS policies governing educational technology, use of AI start to take shape

By Mary Stachyra Lopez
Sign for Fairfax County Public Schools with logo and the text ‘Gatehouse Administration Center, 8115 Gatehouse Road’.
The sign in front of Fairfax County Public Schools’ Gatehouse Administration Center (file photo)

Some of the most high-profile actions the Fairfax County School Board is expected to take during the 2026-27 school year will relate to the use of technology, particularly in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence.

Based on feedback from a newly established advisory committee, Fairfax County Public Schools staff presented early drafts of two policies — one for use of educational technology in general and one for emerging tech — to the school board’s governance committee for its input last week (Oct. 27).

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News

Fairfax City meetings go offline, as FBI warns of AI-detected vulnerabilities

By Angela Woolsey and Associated Press
The sign in front of Fairfax City Hall (staff photo by Mary Stachyra Lopez)

The City of Fairfax’s public meetings are currently inaccessible online after the platform that hosts its videos and agendas detected a vulnerability in its web programming language.

“Granicus has identified a PHP vulnerability and temporarily took all Media Manager services offline as a precaution, while they assess any potential impact,” the city said in a notice issued this morning (Wednesday).

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Countywide

NEW: Gov. Spanberger orders ‘framework’ for regulating data centers, establishes AI task force

By Mary Stachyra Lopez
A woman with blonde hair, wearing a suit, stands at a podium surrounded by people. The Virginia state flag is visible on a screen in the left corner behind her.
Gov. Abigail Spanberger announces a new executive order on data centers (courtesy Office of the Governor)

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger has issued an executive order creating a new “accountability framework” that aims to increase transparency around proposed data center projects, establishes checkpoints around energy and environmental impacts, and convenes a new “rapid response” AI task force.

Touted as the “most comprehensive and aggressive data center accountability framework in the country,” Executive Order 22 bans nondisclosure agreements by state agencies or employees, eliminates “by-right” approvals in favor of requiring public hearing and approval processes for projects that generate over 25 megawatts of power, and requires centers to contribute a “more equitable share” of electric costs.

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News

Candidates for Virginia’s 8th District offer mixed views on tackling AI, data centers

By Scott McCaffrey
Two men in suits sit at a panel table, with a microphone between them; left man has gray hair and blue tie, right man is bald with glasses and a red tie.
8th District U.S. House of Representatives candidates Don Beyer and Tony Sabio (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Rep. Don Beyer (D-8) and his three challengers expressed wariness of data centers and artificial intelligence in a recent debate that kicked off the eight-week sprint to Election Day.

But several of the contenders also warned against rushed efforts to corral the emerging technology at the expense of the good it could provide.

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Countywide

Fairfax County School Board approves restrictions on generative AI, digital devices

By Mary Stachyra Lopez
Side view of a yellow Fairfax County Public Schools bus parked in a lot, with the stop sign extended. Accessible text: 'Fairfax County Public Schools' along the side of the bus.
A Fairfax County Public Schools bus (Staff photo by Mary Stachyra Lopez)

Going forward, Fairfax County Public Schools will prohibit the use of generative artificial intelligence by elementary school students, tablets and laptops in preschool and kindergarten, and student use of personal electronic communication and computing devices during instructional time.

The Fairfax County School Board approved the restrictions — which include a handful of narrow exceptions — at its July 16 meeting, along with several directives for the superintendent to report back to the board about the potential additional limitations on technology.

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Countywide

Dominion Energy could be acquired by Florida utility in $67B merger

By Associated Press
FILE - A Dominion Energy lineman lifts himself up to work on a power line in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in North Augusta, S.C. (AP Photo/Artie Walker Jr., File)

By MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP Business Writer

NextEra Energy is seeking to acquire Dominion Energy in an all-stock deal valued at about $67 billion, creating a massive power company as the energy needs of artificial intelligence drive demand higher in the U.S.

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News

AI defense intelligence company moves HQ from San Francisco to Chantilly

By Mary Stachyra Lopez
TurbineOne Chief Technology Officer and co-founder Matt Amacker leads a demonstration at the company's new Chantilly headquarters (staff photo by Mary Stachyra Lopez)

A company that specializes in artificial intelligence-driven software for the military has moved its headquarters from San Francisco to Chantilly, where it will offer defense clients a place to preview its technology.

Ahead of a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday (Wednesday), TurbineOne said the move was a reflection of its growth supporting national security missions.

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Countywide

Fairfax school board members push for more detailed policy governing AI usage

By Nolan Stout
The Fairfax County School Board's governance committee discusses draft AI policies at its March 17, 2026 meeting (via FCPS/YouTube)

Fairfax County Public Schools officials are open to a more robust artificial intelligence policy, but a final version is still a few months from being ready for primetime.

Staff have been working since October on a comprehensive policy governing the use of AI, an umbrella term for technology that uses computer systems to handle complex tasks. Artificial intelligence has become colloquially associated with generative tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which are trained on existing text, video and images to produce “new” content.

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Countywide

Fairfax ramps up efforts to address AI’s impacts on economy, future workforce

By Scott McCaffrey
Fairfax County's Council on Economic Opportunity meets on March 10, 2026 (via Fairfax County)

Fairfax County leaders continue to take preparatory steps toward more aggressively tackling impacts of artificial intelligence on the local economy and workforce.

The county government had “dozens of applicants” respond to a request for proposals to help develop an “AI Economy Action Plan,” Rebecca Moudry, director of the Fairfax County Department of Economic Initiatives, told local elected officials and business leaders on Tuesday (March 10).

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Countywide

FCPS will partner with OpenAI on ‘ChatGPT for Teachers’ project

By Jared Serre
FILE - Chat GPT app icon is seen on a smartphone screen, Aug. 4, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, file)

Fairfax County Public Schools is not shying away from embracing artificial intelligence.

The school district is one of the first nationwide to partner with OpenAI to help guide the rollout of “ChatGPT for Teachers,” a new tool intended to provide planning assistance for educators.

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