IMC Newsdesk

Americas: Security & Public Policy Index

  • August 20, 2026
  • Esther Shein

FDA Seeks Medical Device Makers to Submit Comments on Advancing Regulatory Approaches

August 18, 2026

The Digital Health Center of Excellence (DHCoE), within the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH), is leading a discussion paper on “Considerations for the Regulation of Generative AI-Enabled Medical Devices.” While GenAI‑enabled medical devices offer transformative promise for patient care, they may also introduce unique risks when compared to traditional software and AI-enabled medical devices. This discussion paper seeks to engage stakeholders on the challenges associated with GenAI-enabled medical devices and ways to advance regulatory approaches for these devices. Device manufacturers and other interested parties, are encouraged to submit feedback under docket number FDA-2026-N-7874 on Regulations.gov, by October 19, 2026.

DOE’s Office of Energy Dominance Secures Loan to Strengthen Puerto Rico’s Grid

August 5, 2026

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Dominance Financing (EDF) announced it has closed a $489.4 million loan to Amanecer Puerto Rico LLC, a subsidiary of Pattern Energy, to lower electricity costs and strengthen Puerto Rico’s electric grid. The investment is expected to save Puerto Rican families and businesses approximately $312.5 million in electricity costs over the next 25 years while improving grid reliability, strengthening energy security, supporting American manufacturing, and reducing dependence on foreign-controlled supply chains. Puerto Rico’s grid has experienced chronic outages and prolonged service interruptions that have imposed significant costs on families, businesses, and critical infrastructure.

More information can be found here.

Malicious Cyber Actors Targeting Water and Wastewater Sector Causing Operational Disruptions

July 30, 2026

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are warning asset owners and operators of critical infrastructure that malicious cyber actors (MCAs) are conducting cyberattacks targeting operational technology (OT) devices, including Rockwell Automation/AllenBradley Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), specifically MicroLogix 1100 and 1400 series. Since the end of July, utility companies in at least seven states have reported incidents to the FBI, and some of that activity degraded water operations. Even though the FBI has only witnessed these attacks on the Rockwell PLCs mentioned, the bureaus is cautioning that other branded PLCs should take note. After the actors remotely access internet-facing devices, they changed the IP addresses and passwords, causing the devices to stop monitoring and functioning.

More information can be found here.

FCC Restricts Imports of New Foreign-Produced Power Inverters and Advanced Robotic Devices

July 28, 2026

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has added foreign-produced power inverters and advanced robotic devices to its Covered List, after it was determined that they pose “unacceptable risks” to the national security of the United States. The new additions are part of an ongoing list of foreign-produced devices on the Covered List of restricted equipment. The order prevents new models from receiving FCC equipment authorization—making them ineligible to be imported or marketed for use or sale in the United States. However, the ban does not apply to devices currently authorized by the FCC and they can continue to be imported for use and sale.

More information can be found here.

S&C Electric Company and Argonne National Laboratory Expand Research to Turn Scientific Discovery into Grid Solutions

July 28, 2026

Global electrical equipment provider S&C Electric Co. has signed a new umbrella cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory to advance grid modernization technologies. This new agreement expands upon their existing collaboration to co-develop advanced insulation materials for medium-and high-voltage grid equipment through DOE’s Transformer Resilience and Advanced Composite (TRAC) program. The plan is for the two entities to accelerate solutions for the electric power industry amid the growing challenges from large-scale load customers and AI data centers.

White House Announces “GOLD EAGLE” Cybersecurity Initiative

July 14, 2026

The White House together with the Department of War has operationalised “GOLD EAGLE”, a clearing house to coordinate rapid vulnerability identification and threat-sharing across critical infrastructure sectors. Developed under Executive Order 14409, the platform employs frontier AI capabilities to automate scanning, validation, and remediation of software vulnerabilities. The initiative supports local utilities, financial institutions, and healthcare networks to ensure potential exploits are patched before cyber adversaries can exploit them.

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New York State Hyperscale Moratorium & Grid Policy

July 14, 2026

The Governor of New York State, Kathy Hochul, has enacted an executive order imposing a statewide one-year moratorium on new hyperscale data centre construction across New York State. The pause is designed to protect local ratepayers from rising energy costs while state authorities modernize transmission grid infrastructure to handle massive power demands from AI computing. The measure establishes the DIGIT Office and a community investment framework to harmonise private technology expansion with regional environmental and energy goals.

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Canada Publishes National AI Strategy

June 4, 2026

Canada has published AI for All, a multi-billion-dollar framework to position the country as a global technology leader across six pillars. The strategy prioritises sovereign AI compute infrastructure, the commercialisation of domestic tech firms, and targeted AI sector missions, including an initial £115m ($200m CAD) allocation dedicated to AI integration in healthcare diagnostics. The policy pivots away from broad stand-alone legislation in favour of an incremental, sector-specific regulatory approach alongside a mandate for federal procurement to act as an anchor buyer for domestic AI solutions.

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Brazil Details New Cybersecurity Strategy

5 July 2026

The Brazilian Institute of Cybersecurity (IBSEC) has published an operational review of how the Plano Brasileiro de Inteligência Artificial (PBIA) handles structural vulnerabilities. The official directives dictate that digital data security is not merely a technical addendum but acts as a foundational, legally binding requirement for any state-backed AI implementation. The new strategy has a direct application to Brazil’s Smart Cities programme.

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Brazil Presents Smart City Framework to ITU

June 1, 2026

Brazil’s Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações and the University of Brasília have formally contributed new research papers on AI and Smart Cities to the ITU Study Group 20 in Geneva. Brazil is working on aligning its local public governance models with international standardisation rules, ensuring urban data processing is handled securely.

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Mexico Accelerates AI Framework Amidst USMCA Uncertainty

July 13, 2026

Mexico is accelerating moves to develop its own structured framework for AI among rising uncertainty over the future of North American free trade. Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies has moved forward with legislation to align technical guidelines with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to keep industrial regional trade seamless. The resulting policies intend to offer clearer transparency, corporate responsibility, and processing guidelines for businesses deploying automated algorithms.

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