An executive order from North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein has created the Artificial Intelligence Leadership Council to oversee the state’s strategy on AI and policy related to the technology as it looks to bolster innovation.
A Sept. 2 announcement said that the council aims to help “achieve the state’s goals of fostering innovation, advancing AI-driven industries, and preparing the workforce for the evolving technological landscape,” and will be chaired by the secretary of information technology and the secretary of commerce.
“AI has the potential to transform how we work and live, carrying with it both extraordinary opportunities and real risks,” said Gov. Stein in a statement. “Our state will be stronger if we are equipped to take on these challenges responsibly. I am looking forward to this council helping our state effectively deploy AI to enhance government operations, drive economic growth, and improves North Carolinians’ lives.”
The council consists of 24 members, ranging from lawmakers, industry members, state officials, and members of higher education institutions.
The council was created as demand for AI has increased within the state and as it hosts multiple AI projects – such as a new Amazon AI innovation campus – with state officials noting expected demands on the state’s energy grid and shifting industries.
“Proactive planning and preparation will be essential to promoting job growth and managing AI-related energy demands,” said officials. “AI is also being deployed by the State of North Carolina to improve government operations to identify unnecessary or overly burdensome regulations and to provide user-friendly AI agents to help North Carolinians navigate state services.”
An AI accelerator within the North Carolina Department of Information Technology and new AI Oversight Teams within each state agency were also established under the executive order. Outlines for an AI Literacy and Fraud Prevention Training Program for the public were added to the order.
The accelerator will serve as a centralized hub for “AI governance, research, partnership, development, implementation, and training,” according to state officials.
“The AI Accelerator, along with our other initiatives, puts us in a strong position to implement swift and transformative solutions that will not only position North Carolina at the forefront of technological innovation but also uphold the latest standards of data privacy and security,” said Teena Piccione, secretary of NCDIT and co-chair of the council, in a statement.