Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant future — it is reshaping
every industry, every job, and every community right now.
Last week, at the All Things Open AI Conference in Durham, North
Carolina’s tech leaders, civic innovators and business professionals came
together to explore how our region can not only adapt to this revolution, but
lead it.
The momentum is clear: North Carolina is on the move to become an
emerging AI hub, driving innovation, workforce growth and shared prosperity.
North Carolina on
the Move: An Emerging AI Hub
Technology is reshaping every industry and community, and moments that
bring leaders together to think boldly about the future matter more than ever.
That is why attending the All Things Open AI Conference in Durham was both
energizing and meaningful for me— not just as a former elected official and
technology advocate, but as someone who believes public leadership must evolve
alongside innovation.
I want to especially thank Triangle AI leader Mark Hinkle for convening
over 4,000 tech and civic stakeholders at the Carolina Theatre and Durham
Convention Center. Conferences like this are not just about showcasing new
tools; they shape the trajectory of a region.
Mark opened the event with a reminder: every major technological
revolution — from electricity to the internet — creates a divide between those
who gain early access and those left behind, until access becomes universal. AI
will be no different. Its impact will be faster, broader, and deeper than
anything we’ve seen — redefining not just how we work, but the very nature of
work itself. That’s why gatherings like this are essential: they foster
understanding, collaboration, and opportunity, ensuring AI becomes a force for
inclusion rather than disruption.
Last year, I wrote about North Carolina’s opportunity to become an
AI-emergent region — a place where workforce readiness, startup growth, and
responsible innovation drive shared prosperity . (https://www.wral.com/business/technology/rao-north-carolina-ai-emergent-state-march-2025/) The All Things Open AI summit showcased this
momentum, highlighting our progress in innovation and workforce development — a
clear sign that the state is on the move as an emerging AI hub.
Why Leadership
Matters in the Age of AI
The conference reinforced a simple but urgent truth: preparing our state
for the AI economy is bigger than any election cycle, and the opportunity
before North Carolina is extraordinary. But we must act now.
Elected officials and policymakers need to start asking the hard
questions:
- How do we ensure AI creates opportunity rather than inequality?
- How do we power the data infrastructure of the future responsibly?
- How can we develop an AI-informed energy strategy that helps local
governments approve data centers without overloading the grid or harming
sustainability? - How do we help small businesses and rural communities participate in the
innovation economy?
North Carolina has the ingredients to lead: world-class universities, a
growing entrepreneurial culture, and a diverse, talented workforce. What we
need now is urgency, collaboration and sustained vision.
Learning by Doing:
Hands-On AI Training
One of the most powerful parts of the conference was hands-on training
for business professionals, learning to integrate tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude into daily workflows. Watching Mark teach us to draft a newsletter
in real time was a vivid reminder: the future of work is already here.
Communities that invest in upskilling today will lead tomorrow.
Local Leadership
Driving Global Innovation
Durham Mayor Leo Williams shared the city’s emerging AI strategy,
covering startup support, public-private collaboration, and forward-thinking
governance.
These discussions proved that local leadership can shape global
innovation trends — and that North Carolina has the potential to be a national
model.
Inspiration from AI
Pioneers
The closing fireside chat with Igor Jablokov, CEO of Pryon, was
particularly inspiring. His early work at DARPA and as founder of Yap (acquired
by Amazon) laid the foundation for voice assistants like Siri. Jablokov joked
that “baby Siri and Alexa were born in RTP,” underscoring the Triangle’s
emerging role in AI innovation. He reminded us of our region’s potential to
birth game-changing technologies for the world.
Igor also spoke candidly about the speed of technological change and the
responsibility communities have to prepare workers and institutions for
disruption. He illustrated this with a personal story: for his birthday, his
mother unveiled a painting of his late pet — a reminder that while AI can give
us what we want, only humans can give us what we truly need. This
truth extends to first responders, veterans, and law enforcement officers,
whose courage and compassion can never be automated.
The Urgency of
Inclusive AI
The conference reinforced a simple but urgent truth: communities that
prepare today will lead tomorrow. North Carolina must ensure AI creates
opportunity rather than inequality, powers future data infrastructure
responsibly, and helps small businesses and rural communities participate fully
in the innovation economy.
Building a Statewide
AI Strategy
The All Things Open AI summit was more than a gathering of tech leaders —
it was a reminder that the future is being built right now, and that our state
can be at the forefront if we act boldly. We need leaders who can bridge
technology, workforce opportunity, and economic growth across every region —
from urban innovation hubs to rural communities.
We need more Mark Hinkles on the Governor’s AI Leadership Council to
develop a North Carolina AI strategy that increases productivity, upskills our
workforce, and addresses the energy challenges of data centers. Wake County can
take similar steps: establishing an AI Task Force to work with the Governor’s
AI Leadership Council, and replicating the AI Accelerator model championed by
Deputy Secretary of AI Isa Isieh, offering a platform for local governments and
companies to showcase technologies and solutions. (More on this topic next
week)
Leading the AI
Revolution
All of us must remain committed to shaping this strategy and our AI
future. North Carolina cannot simply adapt to the AI revolution — we must lead
it. The decisions we make today will determine whether our region and state
become a national model for inclusive innovation.
The time to act is now. Let’s get to work.
Steve S. Rao is a former council member for the town of Morrisville and an opinion writer for WRAL Techwire.