The All Things Open AI Conference in Durham, North Carolina, held last week to discuss the state's potential to become an emerging AI hub. The conference, which included over 4,000 tech and civic stakeholders, explored how North Carolina can adapt to the AI revolution and lead it. The keynote speaker, former elected official and technology advocate, acknowledged the need for public leadership to evolve alongside innovation. He also highlighted the potential of North Carolina as an AI-emergent region, where workforce readiness, startup growth, and responsible innovation drive shared prosperity. Keynotes included hands-on training for business professionals and a fireside chat with Igor Jablokov, CEO of Pryon, about the potential for voice assistants like Siri and Alexa.