RIoT State of the Region: AI, automation make for uncertain economy, opportunities for entrepreneurs

Executive Director Tom Snyder discusses North Carolina's economic outlook and how the state can support entrepreneurship amid technological disruption.

Feb. 4, 2026 at 7:31am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

In the annual State of the Region address, RIoT Executive Director Tom Snyder discussed North Carolina's economic landscape, highlighting the state's industry diversity as a competitive advantage in an AI-driven economy. He acknowledged the volatility created by automation and AI, but emphasized the opportunities for entrepreneurs to create value in areas where humans still excel. Snyder outlined North Carolina's strengths in research translation and early-stage private capital, as well as the need to invest in entrepreneurship as economic infrastructure. He announced a joint venture between NC IDEA and the Wireless Research Center to bolster support for startups and defense-related innovation.

Why it matters

As AI and automation reshape the job market, North Carolina must ensure economic security and opportunity keep pace with technological disruption. Investing in entrepreneurship can help the state distribute wealth more broadly and empower people to create their own work in an uncertain future.

The details

Snyder noted that while North Carolina's economy remains strong by conventional measures, the structure of work is changing rapidly due to the rise of AI and automation. He estimated that 30-45% of current tasks in major employment sectors like logistics, manufacturing, and food processing are technically automatable. However, Snyder argued this points to volatility rather than mass unemployment, as workers who can adapt and leverage AI will become more productive, while those whose roles are automated faster may experience periods of insecurity. To thrive in this environment, Snyder said the human jobs of the future will require combinatorial skills like domain knowledge, customer empathy, persuasion, and execution - areas where machines still struggle. He highlighted North Carolina's industry diversity as a structural advantage, allowing startups and innovators to pilot AI-powered solutions across multiple sectors. Snyder also praised the state's research capacity, but noted the need to improve translation of that research into commercial ventures.

  • On Feb. 3, 2026, Tom Snyder hosted the annual State of the Region Address at Raleigh Founded.
  • In late 2025, North Carolina's labor force exceeded 5.29 million people, with total nonfarm employment at approximately 5.12 million jobs.

The players

Tom Snyder

The Executive Director of RIoT, a nonprofit organization that supports entrepreneurship and innovation in North Carolina.

Renee Good and Alex Pretti

Individuals whose deaths in Minneapolis sparked nationwide protests and conversations about institutional trust, individual safety, and public confidence in economic and civic systems.

Scot Wingo

The leader of the Triangle Tweener fund, one of the most active early-stage investment funds in the Southeast.

NC IDEA

A nonprofit organization that provides nondilutive capital to startups and funds entrepreneurial support programs in North Carolina.

Wireless Research Center

An organization that advances technology and supports startups in the data economy, and is launching RIoT Labs to focus on defense and defense dual-use technology development and commercialization.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“There has never been a single way to make a living. There are millions of niche markets, and new ones emerge every year.”

— Tom Snyder, Executive Director, RIoT (wral.com)

“Entrepreneurship is not threatened by AI. It is amplified by it.”

— Tom Snyder, Executive Director, RIoT (wral.com)

What’s next

The joint venture between NC IDEA and the Wireless Research Center will bring RIoT's accelerator and entrepreneurial programs under the NC IDEA umbrella, while the Wireless Research Center launches RIoT Labs to support defense and defense dual-use technology development and commercialization.

The takeaway

North Carolina is well-positioned to thrive in an AI-driven economy by leveraging its industry diversity, research capacity, and growing ecosystem of early-stage private capital. However, the state must continue to invest in entrepreneurship as economic infrastructure to ensure broad-based prosperity and economic security amid technological disruption.