This Month's Latest Tech News in Greensboro, NC - Saturday May 31st 2025 Edition

Greensboro is capturing statewide attention as its technology ecosystem ramps up, blending major AI innovation with robust public debate. North Carolina A&T State University recently secured approval for the state's first standalone bachelor's in artificial intelligence, equipping students to seize opportunities in an AI job market projected to grow three times faster than average, with over 20,000 new roles expected (NC A&T approves B.S. degree in Artificial Intelligence).

This academic momentum is reinforced by an expansive partnership with NVIDIA to advance research, economic development, and workforce training. As Timothy Minor of N.C. A&T highlights,

“By integrating AI into every facet of learning, A&T is equipped to prepare students and faculty to find solutions to problems and meet the industry demands for talent in North Carolina and the nation.”

At the same time, public policy is evolving rapidly: the N.C. House advanced bipartisan legislation to regulate deepfakes and foster ethical AI use, with sponsors seeking a balanced approach that encourages tech investment while protecting citizens (NC House could regulate AI, including making 'deepfakes' a crime).

Meanwhile, collaborative events like UNCG's 2025 AI Conference invite critical dialogue on the promise and risks of generative AI, ensuring Greensboro's AI surge is both innovative and inclusive (2025 AI Conference: Educate, Innovate, Iterate).

Elon University has taken a pioneering step in advancing AI literacy by launching the second edition of its free, globally collaborative Student Guide to Artificial Intelligence, created in partnership with the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U).

This new guide expands on its predecessor by offering practical strategies for integrating AI into academic endeavors, career planning, and ethical considerations, all accessible in both English and Spanish.

Developed with input from students and scholars across 14 countries, the guide has already reached users at 1,900 institutions in 139 nations and is endorsed by leading organizations such as the American Library Association, EDUCAUSE, and the Online Learning Consortium.

As President Connie Book of Elon University emphasizes,

“By providing a free resource written in a way all students can access, we hope to increase AI literacy and support students as they adapt to these rapidly changing technologies.”

The guide's core framework covers five dimensions of AI skill-building - research, writing, creative work, data analysis, and learning assistance - while also delving into academic integrity, AI ethics, and portfolio development.

For educators and students eager to explore further, Elon's AI Toolbox offers over 100 curated AI tools and resources to foster ethical and effective use of artificial intelligence on campus.

To read more about the impact, endorsements, and downloadable resources, visit Elon University's official announcement.

North Carolina A&T State University is accelerating its artificial intelligence research and educational impact through a new partnership with the North Carolina Shared Research and Education (NCShare) platform.

This initiative, led by Duke University, MCNC, and other state institutions, delivers a high-speed, cost-effective GPU-powered infrastructure that allows N.C. A&T researchers to process massive datasets and train AI models - key for cutting-edge work in areas like deepfake detection and cybersecurity - using remote, time-shared access to robust computing clusters.

As Dr. Kaushik Roy, chair of A&T's Department of Computer Science, notes,

"You need a lot of resources, especially when the researchers are working on millions of images and large video data files...A solution is a graphics processing unit, or GPU-based AI machines, to scale up our capability and improve our computing power and processing very quickly."

This scalable model overcomes the cost barriers smaller institutions face and fosters collaboration across North Carolina's diverse research ecosystem.

Bolstered by recent National Science Foundation grants totaling over $2.5 million for cyberinfrastructure, compute-as-a-service, and AI-GPU-as-a-service, the NCShare partnership also complements A&T's newly approved bachelor's degree in artificial intelligence - the first of its kind in the state - ensuring students and faculty are positioned at the forefront of workforce and research demands.

To learn more, explore N.C. A&T's role in advancing shared AI infrastructure through the official North Carolina A&T NCShare partnership announcement, review the statewide scope and technical details on NCShare's official project page, and discover how these initiatives are expanding AI education and career opportunities for underrepresented communities in WFMY's coverage of North Carolina's first AI bachelor's program.

North Carolina lawmakers are taking decisive steps to combat the rise of deepfakes - a form of AI-manipulated media that convincingly depicts people saying or doing things they never did.

The bipartisan House Bill 934, recently advanced by the House Regulatory Committee, would make it a Class 1 misdemeanor to create or distribute a deepfake without the subject's consent, exposing violators to up to 120 days in jail and allowing victims to sue for $1,000 for each unauthorized distribution.

Lawmakers emphasize striking a balance between protecting residents and supporting AI innovation, with roundtable discussions and ongoing industry feedback shaping the legislation's language and scope as covered in WCNC's local report.

This effort responds to a growing trend nationwide - over 40 states are considering or have already passed laws addressing deepfakes, particularly in election contexts, amid concerns about misinformation and the integrity of public discourse (see table below).

Attorney General Jeff Jackson, citing risks to children, election security, and consumer safety, praised the state's proactive approach, urging that “the federal government shouldn't stop states from working to keep people safe” according to Port City Daily.

For further details on the legal status and implementation of deepfake laws across the country, explore the thorough legislative guide by the National Conference of State Legislatures here.

State	Bill Number	Title/Subject	Status	Key Features
North Carolina	HB 934	AI Deepfakes Regulation	Advancing	Misdemeanor for creation/distribution; victim right to sue; work in progress
California	A 2655	Election Deepfake Disclosure	Enacted	Requires platforms to block/report deceptive election deepfakes
Florida	H 919	AI Use in Political Advertising	Enacted	Disclaimers on AI-generated political ads; legal penalties

“We're going to see AI everywhere in the next few years, and bad actors are going to intentionally misuse it to commit crimes and scam people... The federal government shouldn't stop states from working to keep people safe.” – AG Jeff Jackson

N.C. A&T's deepfake detection research is making national waves, as the team's paper, "Understanding the Threat of Political Deepfakes", was presented at the 4th annual IEEE Conference on AI in Cybersecurity at the University of Houston.

Spearheaded by Dr. Kaushik Roy and first-authored by STEM Early College student Kashifah Afroz, the research highlights that the proliferation of accessible AI tools has made sophisticated political deepfakes - manipulated audio, images, and especially video - easier to produce and harder to detect, posing significant misinformation and national security risks during events like election campaigns and wartime.

As noted by Dr. Roy,

“Fake videos/images create huge problems, particularly during election campaigns,”

underscoring the urgent need for improved AI literacy and skepticism in a digital-first public.

Their work aligns with the broader focus of international conferences, such as the IEEE RTSI 2025 session on AI-driven cybersecurity, which examines the ethical and technical challenges posed by adversarial AI, including deepfakes, and advocates for multidisciplinary solutions.

Similarly, recent findings presented in Perception vs. Reality: Understanding and Evaluating the Impact of Synthetic Image Deepfakes reveal that even highly literate individuals often cannot detect synthetic media unaided, making education and anti-deepfake technologies critical.

For a direct look at N.C. A&T's hands-on research and policy recommendations, visit the official release N.C. A&T Researchers Study Deepfakes Detection, Impacts on Political Leaders and see how Greensboro's tech community is contributing to national cybersecurity dialogues.

North Carolina is on the brink of a significant state government transformation as the Senate advances Senate Bill 474, also known as the "DAVE Act" (Division of Accountability, Value and Efficiency), which would authorize the State Auditor's office to use artificial intelligence to review agency performance, identify duplicative spending, and recommend job cuts or office eliminations for legislative consideration.

Inspired by the federal DOGE initiative overseen by Elon Musk, the DAVE Act passed the Senate along party lines and now heads to the House, with the potential to be embedded in the state budget for additional staffing and operational support.

Read the News & Record coverage.

Under the bill, agencies must submit annual reports detailing expenditures and vacancies unfilled for at least six months, with over 14,000 job vacancies currently - about a 20% vacancy rate - fueling heated debate.

While State Auditor Dave Boliek champions the bill as a step toward data-driven, nonpartisan efficiency, emphasizing,

“The fact is, we've got to start somewhere in the state of North Carolina using A.I. Because it's coming. There's no better place than the state auditor's office to get started with that.”

Democratic lawmakers and state employee groups warn that it risks deep staff reductions and could "demonize" public workers.

Read the full NC Newsline report.

The bill also features a sunset clause after 2028 and stipulates the auditor cannot directly discharge employees, leaving final decisions to the General Assembly.

The ongoing debate illustrates North Carolina's effort to balance modernizing government with accountability and job security - an approach that echoes wider national trends in AI oversight and government reform.

See more in Courthouse News.

The FBI has issued an urgent alert for North Carolina residents as highly sophisticated scams leveraging artificial intelligence escalate across the region. Using AI-generated voice and text messages, criminals now impersonate senior U.S. officials - making traditional scam red flags like poor grammar or foreign accents nearly undetectable.

In these campaigns, known as "smishing" (SMS phishing) and "vishing" (voice phishing), scammers establish rapport by mimicking officials' voices with uncanny accuracy and sending messages designed to trick recipients into following malicious links or revealing sensitive credentials.

As Phil VanWyngarden, Assistant Special Agent in Charge at the Charlotte FBI, explains,

“AI is very useful for us and maybe our daily lives. We use it because it makes things easier for us. They're using it for the exact same reason. It's making the job of the scammer easier in these particular cases. For scammers coming from overseas, this allows them to use proper grammar to portray themselves as somebody who speaks English as a first language.”

The FBI's actionable guidance is clear: never trust unsolicited calls or texts - even those claiming to be from government officials - without independent verification, avoid clicking suspicious links, and watch for subtle mismatches in speech or visual cues.

Anyone targeted should report incidents to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov. For further insights on how scammers mimic public figures using AI and how to protect your identity, review the full coverage at WSOCTV News and explore practical safety recommendations via Malwarebytes' FBI Scam Advisory.

Global Technologies, LTD has made a decisive move to Greensboro, North Carolina, establishing its new headquarters to capitalize on the city's expanding technology sector and supportive business environment.

The company, a leader in radio and TV broadcasting equipment and now active in health, wellness, and electric vehicles, continues to post impressive financials: in its latest SEC filing, revenue soared by 473% year-over-year to $2.59 million, while gross profit jumped by 935% to $904,115 for the nine months ending March 2025.

However, operating expenses have increased with expanded consulting and product development. The recent leadership transition - Bruce Brimacombe stepping down and CEO H. Wyatt Flippen assuming the chair - underscores a period of strategic realignment.

Flippen commented,

“Global Technologies continues to demonstrate strong revenue growth and strategic momentum... our ongoing development of proprietary platforms will help position the Company for long-term shareholder value creation.”

The relocation aligns with Greensboro's rise as a tech hub, promising operational continuity from their new 806 Green Valley Road address, with the move detailed in a March 2025 SEC disclosure.

For more details on recent board changes, relocation rationale, and the company's outlook, visit the official announcement of Global Technologies' Greensboro headquarters relocation and board changes and review the full Q3 2025 financials and CEO commentary.

For context on the region's tech competitiveness, compare with Wake County's growing ecosystem as another global technology headquarters selects Raleigh.

Duke Energy is undertaking a major strategic pivot to address the unprecedented surge in electricity demand from artificial intelligence data centers, a trend projected to triple data center energy usage by 2030 and potentially represent up to 50% of Duke's total load pipeline by 2029.

To proactively meet this challenge, Duke has announced an $83 billion capital expenditure plan through 2029 - an increase of 13.7% over earlier projections - focused on grid modernization, capacity expansion, and a balanced energy mix.

The investment will fund nearly 5 GW of new natural gas generation capacity over the next five years as an immediate reliability solution, while continuing aggressive integration of renewables and extending the lives of its nuclear facilities.

As detailed in Duke Energy's Strategic Shift: $83B Plan Driven by AI Demand, the company's financial posture remains robust despite high leverage, with strong Q1 2025 performance exceeding Wall Street estimates and significant nuclear output now supplying over 50% of Carolina's electricity.

Analysts and energy experts, as discussed in the Triangle Business Journal's coverage of Duke Energy's infrastructure response and broader national reporting, note that natural gas will remain a critical bridge fuel due to its scalability and speed of deployment - though this raises ongoing questions about long-term emissions.

Amid these changes, AI and data center customers are shaping utility planning, driving not only historic load growth but also demanding innovation in grid integration and flexibility.

The table below summarizes key financial and operational metrics for Duke Energy as of May 2025:

Metric	Value
Q1 2025 Revenue	$8.25 billion
Adjusted EPS (Q1 2025)	$1.76
Market Cap (May 28, 2025)	$91.5 billion
2025-2029 CapEx Plan	$83 billion
Net Debt to Equity (Mar 2025)	166%

For a broader perspective on how AI data center growth is transforming the entire U.S. energy landscape and compelling utilities to innovate, read MIT Technology Review's feature on AI-driven power plant investment.

Lenovo is marking its 20th anniversary in North Carolina, reflecting on a transformative journey that began with the landmark acquisition of IBM's PC division in 2005 - a deal widely recognized as a turning point that redefined the global PC industry and Lenovo's own place as an international leader according to Forbes.

From its dual global headquarters in Research Triangle Park, the company now delivers innovation to 180 markets, with approximately 40% of its 10,000+ U.S. patents originating locally and groundbreaking technologies like warm water server cooling powering its AI-driven growth via Lenovo StoryHub.

Lenovo's impact permeates local communities through deep partnerships with world-class universities, robust workforce investment, and philanthropic initiatives such as the Evolve Small program and its decade-long support of the NAF Foundation.

The region's $1.5 billion economic infusion is further bolstered by high-profile community engagements - including the multi-year naming of the Lenovo Center, home of the Carolina Hurricanes.

As Lenovo North America President Ryan McCurdy shared,

“We're committed to driving cutting-edge innovation from North Carolina while helping our communities thrive.”

For an in-depth look at Lenovo's evolution, research initiatives, and future ambitions in the Triangle, visit the full anniversary coverage on 3BL Media.

Greensboro's tech sector is experiencing robust growth, fueled by major employers and noteworthy leadership appointments. VF Corporation, one of the world's largest apparel, footwear, and accessories companies, continues to drive innovation while committing to inclusion, diversity, and sustainability through a wide range of career opportunities across its globally recognized brands such as Vans, The North Face, and Timberland.

As stated on their VF Corporation careers page,

“VF Corporation is a purpose-led, performance-driven, and value-creating organization. The relentless pursuit of business success is fueled by a desire to improve people's lives and make the world a better place.”

Recent postings like the Vice President, Data Intelligence position underscore Greensboro's need for tech-savvy, strategic leaders to fuel its expanding data-driven ecosystem.

This boom mirrors momentum in other parts of North Carolina, where technology and AI talent are in high demand statewide; for a broader perspective, see how the NCShare partnership expands statewide AI capacity by connecting research talent and resources.

As Greensboro's employers invest in both technical expertise and inclusive leadership, the city's technology workforce is gaining national recognition, offering compelling opportunities for both job seekers and aspiring tech leaders.

As Greensboro solidifies its position as a leader in AI-driven transformation, the city's recent membership in the GovAI Coalition underscores its commitment to responsible innovation, public privacy, and effective governance.

With municipal leaders actively seeking to “improve the services we provide to our residents” through advanced technology, Greensboro sits at the crossroads of emerging policy and opportunity.

At the national level, the debate intensifies with Congressional proposals for a 10-year moratorium on state and local AI regulations, designed to unify the regulatory landscape as states examine hundreds of new AI initiatives (see this interactive AI legislation tracker for 2025).

While advocates argue this could boost American AI competitiveness and lower compliance costs, opponents caution that it may hamper states' ability to safeguard communities or experiment with tailored solutions.

Locally, Greensboro's embrace of national standards alongside homegrown dialogue and innovation ensures residents are poised to benefit from both robust ethical frameworks and new economic prospects.

As the region continues to attract AI investment, empower public dialogue, and expand talent pipelines, Greensboro exemplifies how collaboration between city leaders, educators, and the community can shape a future where technology advances in both opportunity and trust.