James MagazineJames_July-August_2026_web - Flipbook - Page 63
The great news for Georgia is that this is not a
fantasy, but an already proven concept. The Georgia
Cyber Center was honored to partner with the Georgia Institute of Technology and several other organizations across the state for the Georgia Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing program. During four years of
assisting manufacturers in Georgia, we built a cybersecurity services program from scratch and proved
we could deliver world class cybersecurity services at
industry-disrupting costs.
As a public university (non-profit) using students
as 85 percent of our workforce, we have developed
an affordable, agile, lightweight and scalable cybersecurity program that offers a full complement
of virtual Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)-as-a-service and Security Operations Center
(SOC)-as-a-service, specifically tailored for local level
organizations. Currently, we are partnering with the
Georgia Department of Community Health to deliver
continuous, world-class cybersecurity services to
the 93 rural hospitals in Georgia— at no cost to the
hospitals. We are also conducting cybersecurity pilot
programs with several rural local governments and
public school districts across the state as a proof of
value. We currently have 30 student interns providing services to manufacturers and rural hospitals and
can easily scale to 100 student interns as our scope
increases.
However, our goal is to scale nationally. If we can
partner with other universities across the country, we
could collectively solve the local level cybersecurity
problem while graduating students with one to three
years of real-world experience.
A Cybersecurity Standard
In today’s digital environment, especially with
the explosion of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity
is no longer optional; it is foundational to economic
stability, public safety, and national security. Georgia
has recognized this reality and responded with a bold,
forward-looking strategy where the Georgia Cyber
Center is a critical force multiplier.
By supporting businesses, strengthening local
governments, fostering innovation and developing a
skilled workforce, the Center plays a vital role in securing the state’s digital future. For Georgia’s leaders
and citizens alike, it represents a shield against growing cyber threats and a catalyst for continued growth
and innovation.
In that regard, Georgia and the Georgia Cyber
Center are setting a standard for other states to follow.
Eric Toler (USA-Ret.) is the executive director of the Georgia Cyber
Center. If you want to know more, please contact the Center at:
GACYBERNEWS@augusta.edu
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