Governor Stein Announces AI Strategic Roadmap to Protect and Better Serve North Carolinians, Prepare Workers, and Strengthen Economy

Governor Josh Stein’s North Carolina AI Leadership Council released the AI Strategic Roadmap, a guide with strategic goals and principles to address the potential impact of AI on how people live and work. 

“Artificial intelligence is already changing how we work, learn, and serve the people of our state, and North Carolina must lead with urgency and care,” said Governor Josh Stein. “This roadmap gives our state a strategy to protect people from harm, prepare our workforce for opportunity, and transform how government serves the public. Together, we can make North Carolina a place where innovation and trust move forward together.”  

Stakeholders across the private sector, government, education, and labor worked together on the council to develop 17 strategic goals organized around three priorities:  

• Protect residents from the harms of AI through strong protections for workers, consumers, and critical public systems. 
• Prepare our residents and maintain our status as the Top State for Business by supporting efforts to develop the skills to succeed in the jobs of today and tomorrow. 
• Transform government to deliver better results and services for the people of North Carolina. 

These goals include leading the way in trustworthy AI, expanding AI literacy, supporting workers, protecting people from fraud and scams, safeguarding privacy and minimizing risk, and promoting accountability. By striking a balance between ethical stewardship and technological innovation, the state aims to harness the transformative potential of AI to benefit all residents and sectors. 

“This is not just a technology plan. It is a plan to build public trust,” said NCDIT Secretary and State Chief Information Officer Nate Denny. “People are relying on AI to interact with information, government services, and one another. That means North Carolina has a responsibility to put the right governance, safeguards, training, and transparency in place so AI is developed responsibly, deployed thoughtfully, and used in ways that improve lives.” 

“AI will play a major role in the future of work, business, and economic competitiveness,” said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “This roadmap positions North Carolina to help workers build new skills, help businesses responsibly adopt new tools, and help communities prepare for the economy of the future. By bringing together government, education, labor, and the private sector, we can make sure AI strengthens opportunity in every region of our state.” 

Governor Stein established the AI Leadership Council through Executive Order 24 in 2025. The Council is charged with advising and supporting the Governor and state agencies on AI strategy, policy, and training to achieve the state’s goals of fostering innovation, advancing AI-driven industries, and preparing the workforce for the evolving technological landscape. Earlier this month, the General Assembly also established the North Carolina AI Caucus, a bipartisan coalition of legislators committed to advancing thoughtful, responsible policies surrounding artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.  

Click here to read the AI Strategic Roadmap.