AI helped give nearly $23M to Helene recovery says NC treasurer, tell me about this news in (https://www.wral.com/news/nccapitol/ai-helped-give-nearly-23m-to-helene-recovery-says-nc-treasurer-september-2026/)

North Carolina State Treasurer Brad Briner announced the distribution of nearly $23 million in interest-free cashflow loans to western North Carolina communities continuing their recovery from Hurricane Helene.

Here are the key details of the announcement:

How AI Played a Role By law under the disaster recovery program, the Department of State Treasurer was permitted to withhold up to 2% of appropriated funds to cover the administrative overhead of managing and tracking the loans. However, Treasurer Briner explained that the department integrated artificial intelligence and automation tools into its daily workflow to manage loan tracking logistics and forecast repayment schedules. These technological efficiencies eliminated the need to spend money on administrative overhead, allowing the department to pass along 100% of the fundsincluding $20 million from recent appropriations and an additional $2.7 million from prior allocationsdirectly to local governments without deducting administrative fees.

Purpose and Terms of the Loans

• Cashflow Relief: The loans serve as bridge financing for mountain towns and counties facing immediate operational and cleanup costs while they await federal disaster aid and FEMA reimbursements.

• Repayment: The loans are zero-interest and must be repaid once local governments receive their FEMA reimbursements, or by June 30, 2030, whichever comes first.

• Prioritization: Funding priority was given to projects addressing urgent public health and safety needs, projects with documented requests already pending before FEMA, and regionalization initiatives.