Apex Town Council members discussed the town's economic future, despite the state's budget deadlock. Negotiations have been ongoing since July of last year, with no end in sight despite the budget being more than eight months overdue. The new NC Children’s Hospital, set to be the second largest in the country when completed, is expected to bring nearly 8,000 jobs to Apex and Wake County. However, experts from East Carolina University and North Carolina College of Education also highlighted the difficulty of relying on state and federal funding. They warned that uncertainty regarding government regulations could discourage businesses from hiring or expanding. The council also expressed concern about the impact of advanced technology and artificial intelligence on jobs.