The COBOL Ceiling: Charlotte's Banking Legacy and What AI Acceleration Means for the Local Economy in 2026
Charlotte is the second-largest banking center in the US, built on institutions that still process $3 trillion daily through COBOL systems written before most of its residents were born. AI is now compressing technology adoption cycles that used to take decades into months. What does that mean for a regional economy built on financial stability rather than software agility β and what has to change in 2026 to keep Charlotte thriving outside of banking and finance?