Charlotte is forging ahead with its aspirations to become a tech hub, despite AI fueling uncertainty about whether jobs will last.

Why it matters: Charlotte is particularly exposed to AI disruption because its economy relies on banking, insurance, and similar industries that employ the bulk of the region's tech workforce.

Case in point: The "low-hire, low-fire" market and recent layoffs are adding to the unpredictable labor outlook.

• In January, Lowe's cut approximately 600 roles, including 49 positions at its technology hub in South End.

Yes, but: Bojan Cukic, dean of the College of Computing and Informatics at UNC Charlotte, is among those involved in bringing an Uptown tech hub to the North Tryon corridor. He says he is not as skeptical about technology replacing humans as Silicon Valley suggests.

• Some AI pioneer companies, Cukic says, may have a "vested interest in projecting that kind of feeling."
• Companies like Lowe's have sent tech functions overseas in recent years.

Reality check: In the five years between 2019 and 2024, the number of tech jobs in North Carolina increased 33%, nearly double the national average, per NC TECH.

The big picture: UNC Charlotte and Charlotte Center City Partners have long envisioned the "North Tryon Tech Hub" to build on this growth. The innovation district has begun taking shape where the Dubois Center is.

• Inspired by Tech Square in Atlanta, Charlotte's tech hub could comprise 25 contiguous, underdeveloped acres controlled by Mecklenburg County and Levine Properties, which will select developers.

Zoom in: The tech hub will focus on cybersecurity, machine learning and "critical infrastructure," including systems like data centers that power AI.

• This year, the university will open a cybersecurity lab at the hub. Cukic says strengthening defenses is crucial as AI lowers the costs of cyberattacks.

Zoom out: UNC Charlotte is among the early universities that offer AI degrees. Pre-med students can also now choose computer science as a concentration. Some robotic medicine is being studied at The Pearl, the life sciences district in midtown, not far from the North Tryon Tech Hub.

• "Atlanta has 15 centers of innovation," Center City Partners' Michael Smith says. "Charlotte can definitely support two."

Read the full story to dive deeper

Gas prices in Mecklenburg County are below the national average, but drivers are still feeling the pinch at the pump.

Why it matters: Rising fuel costs are shaping daily budgets and travel decisions, influencing how and when people drive or plan trips.

By the numbers: The average gas price in Mecklenburg County is $3.793 as of Thursday morning, slightly above the North Carolina average of $3.757, per AAA.

• Prices are lower in nearby Union ($3.734) and Gaston ($3.777) counties.
• Cabarrus County is slightly higher at $3.799.

Flashback: A month ago, North Carolina's average gas price was $2.784, according to AAA.

The big picture: The national average gas price is hovering just under $4 per gallon, at $3.978.

• More states have crossed the $4 threshold compared to before the war began, signaling broader upward pressure on prices.

💭 Ashley's thought bubble: I paid $3.39 per gallon using Harris Teeter Fuel Points, down from $3.79. A half tank still cost about $20 — enough to make me consider biking more often.

How have fuel prices impacted your daily decisions? Are you delaying or reconsidering vacation plans? Have you started biking or taking public transportation? Let me know at [email protected].

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If you're on the hunt for a new job, here are 3 to get you started.

• Executive Assistant to Head of School at Charlotte Country Day School.
• Interior Designer at Kathryn Lilly Interiors.
• Member Relations & Business Development Associate at Charlotte Regional Business Alliance.

Want more opportunities? Check out all openings on our Job Board.

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704 Shop partnered with the Charlotte Hornets on a new collection celebrating the city's "creativity, culture and community." It's sold exclusively at the Hornets Fan Shop inside Spectrum Center.

Epic Games, the Cary-based video game maker, is laying off 1,000 workers, including more than 200 in Cary, citing slower engagement with its Fortnite game. (WRAL)

Amid the war in Iran, Honeywell is among the companies that have reached framework agreements with the Pentagon. The Charlotte-based conglomerate is investing $500 million to upgrade and expand its manufacturing capacity of military technology. (Observer 🔒)

A North Carolina Department of Transportation board member said Wednesday night he would question whether the state should fund other transportation projects in Charlotte if leaders reject the I-77 toll lanes. But the state uses a points-based system to rank transportation projects, intentionally to remove politics from funding decisions. (WFAE)

Crosland Southeast's plans for new affordable housing at 4000 N. Sharon Amity Rd. in east Charlotte narrowly received city council rezoning approval because some neighbors were unhappy, concerned about traffic, tree preservation and building heights. (CBJ 🔒)