Illinois signs Executive Order 2026-07, creating the AI Cabinet

On September 22, 2026, Governor JB Pritzker signed an executive order creating a new Artificial Intelligence Cabinet within state government to evaluate AI-related risks and develop policy recommendations for Illinois.

The order, Executive Order 2026-07, took effect immediately upon its filing with the Secretary of State.

What it is

The order establishes the Illinois Artificial Intelligence Cabinet, described as being formed to provide state government with expert analysis and assess the various risks posed by AI to the safety of Illinois residents and the critical infrastructure residents rely on.

The Cabinet is to be comprised of academic and expert partners to advise on safety impacts, data privacy, cybersecurity and critical infrastructure, ethical use of AI technology, legal frameworks, and standards for security and governance.

It will also include senior leaders from several state agencies, including the Department of Innovation and Technology, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

The Governor shall designate a chair from among the membership of the AI Cabinet, and members will serve as volunteers without compensation.

The AI Cabinet will sunset no later than December 31, 2027.

What it requires

The order directs the Cabinet to develop policies and procedures to prepare for and respond to AI incidents focused on preserving the safety, health, and economic security of Illinois residents.

It also must develop policies and procedures to protect public assets, including public buildings, water systems, education systems, and information storage, from AI threats.

The Cabinet is charged with analyzing emerging AI incidents and sharing lessons learned to help prevent and prepare for future threats to Illinois residents, organizations, and infrastructure.

Members must also evaluate the feasibility of specific actions the state may take to effectively regulate AI, including conditioning data center tax incentives, permits, or operational approvals on companies meeting safety, accountability, and transparency standards.

The order also asks the Cabinet to assess whether existing legal remedies are sufficient to hold AI companies accountable for harm caused by AI.

The Illinois Department on Innovation and Technology shall provide administrative support to the AI Cabinet.

The order follows separate legislative action: in July, Governor Pritzker signed Senate Bill 315, the Artificial Intelligence Safety Measures Act, which is scheduled to take effect in 2028.

What security leaders should do

Security and risk leaders operating in Illinois should track the Cabinet's recommendations on data-center permitting, state procurement standards, and incident-response policy, since those recommendations could shape future compliance obligations even though this order itself creates only an advisory body. Teams already preparing for the Artificial Intelligence Safety Measures Act's audit and incident-reporting duties should treat the Cabinet's incident-analysis role as a signal of what state regulators will consider a reportable AI safety event, and should keep documentation practices flexible enough to align with recommendations expected as the Cabinet's work proceeds through 2027.