PRITS launches cybersecurity and AI training for public employees
The Puerto Rico Innovation and Technology Service began a series of workshops on Monday as part of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, with participation from the federal CISA.
File photoThe short version
- PRITS began training sessions on Monday for government workers on cyber threats, data protection and responsible AI use, NotiCel reported
- The first session included the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and covered attacker strategies targeting employees, credentials and vendors, according to Metro Puerto Rico
- Participants received guidance on the government's AI policy, including data classification, risk management, human oversight and authorized tools, both outlets said
- Additional sessions and a meeting with chief information officers are planned for the rest of October under Law 40-2024, PRITS stated
Training begins for Cybersecurity Awareness Month
The Puerto Rico Innovation and Technology Service (PRITS) started a series of training sessions for public employees on Monday, Oct. 12, covering cybersecurity threats, information protection and responsible use of artificial intelligence. The initiative is part of Cybersecurity Awareness Month. NotiCel reported Metro Puerto Rico reported.
PRITS Executive Director Poincaré Díaz Peña said in written statements that every time a citizen requests a government service, they entrust the government with their information. He added that a trained public servant is the main line of defense for the island's technological infrastructure. The first session featured the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and addressed strategies used by attackers to compromise computer systems, including threats aimed at employees, access credentials and service providers.
What the sources posted
Posts and statements below are the sources' own words, quoted as published. They are not independently verified.
Todos tenemos una vida digital, y cada vez que un ciudadano solicita un servicio, le confía al Gobierno su información. Por eso comenzamos este mes preparando a quienes custodian esos datos: un servidor público capacitado e informado es la principal línea de defensa de nuestra infraestructura tecnológica
Our translation: We all have a digital life, and every time a citizen requests a service, they entrust the Government with their information. That is why we begin this month by preparing those who safeguard that data: a trained and informed public servant is the main line of defense of our technological infrastructure.
The source's own statement, as quoted by NotiCel. Not verified by PuertoRico.com.
Guidance on AI policy and risks
Attendees were briefed on the Policy for the Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Government of Puerto Rico. Topics included data classification and protection, risk management, human supervision of results and the use of authorized technological tools. Díaz Peña stated that the purpose is not to regulate AI but to promote its responsible implementation to serve citizens better and faster while protecting data and maintaining human oversight.
PRITS also warned about the risks of using free AI platforms that may not meet security requirements for handling government information. Both NotiCel and Metro Puerto Rico published nearly identical accounts of the statements and topics covered.
Upcoming sessions and legal basis
Throughout the rest of October, PRITS will offer additional training on technological tools and will hold a meeting with the chief information officers (OPIs) of government agencies. The meeting will address their responsibilities, technology public policy, and priorities related to cybersecurity and AI, with participation from private technology companies.
Díaz Peña described the OPIs as the link between public policy and daily agency operations. The activities fulfill educational responsibilities under Law 40-2024, known as the Cybersecurity Law of the Government of Puerto Rico, which requires an annual cybersecurity course for public servants that includes AI topics.
Where the sources differ
NotiCel and Metro Puerto Rico agree on all key facts, including the start date, participants, topics covered, quotes from PRITS Executive Director Poincaré Díaz Peña, the role of CISA, details of the AI policy, warnings about free platforms, future sessions with chief information officers, and the legal basis in Law 40-2024. The two reports are nearly identical in wording and structure, with no substantive differences in the information presented.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not specify how many employees participated in the first session, the exact schedule or locations of remaining trainings, whether similar sessions will be held virtually or in-person, or any metrics on past cybersecurity incidents in Puerto Rico government agencies. They also do not detail the specific content of the AI policy document or name the private technology companies that will participate in the chief information officers meeting.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Official PRITS adiestra a empleados públicos sobre ciberseguridad y uso de inteligencia artificial
- Reporting PRITS adiestra a empleados públicos sobre ciberseguridad y uso de inteligencia artificial
- Reporting PRITS inicia adiestramiento a empleados públicos sobre ciberseguridad y uso de inteligencia artificial
How we checked this
Both NotiCel and Metro Puerto Rico reported the launch of the PRITS training program based on the agency's written statements and descriptions of the first session. All direct quotes and the legal reference to Law 40-2024 rest on the information released by PRITS.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.