THE NORTH CAROLINA FLYOVER – A new North Carolina Technology Association report warns that the adoption of artificial intelligence could significantly disrupt the state’s tech sector.
According to the North Carolina State of Technology 2026 Industry Report, about 61% of the state’s tech jobs are highly exposed to impact from AI, potentially affecting 286,290 positions.
The analysis divides the technology sector into four subcategories: (1) information technology, telecom, hardware, and software; (2) energy technology; (3) environmental technology; and (4) life sciences. It identifies software developers, web developers, computer programmers, mathematicians, and data scientists as among the most vulnerable to automation or augmentation.
The report also notes that even in the most optimistic scenario, at least 90,230 jobs would face significant exposure to AI disruption, which “raises uncertain prospects for young workers.” NC TECH urges state leaders to prioritize training AI experts and retraining displaced employees to ensure economic security.