Name: Shimanth B S
Country: India

Year: 2026
Volume: Volume-16, (June) Year-2026 (Special Issue: Special Issue: Ai, Ethics and Human Values : Shaping the Future of Higher Education)
Page Number: 513-522
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21701144

ABSTRACT
One of the greatest inventions that the 21st century has brought to mankind is the introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI has literally transformed almost all areas of life, including rural development. It has optimized agricultural operations, enhanced healthcare access besides strengthening rural governance using data-driven devices and ideas. The key applications of AI include a range of themes, viz., or some of which are precision farming, predictions for infrastructural necessities, educational tools for personal learning.
This paper attempts to highlight some of the benefits and challenges of implementing AI in rural areas. It is based on secondary data sources such as government reports & published research papers in journals and as books.

The findings have pointed to a number of shortcomings felt by the rural consumers of AI products, mainly the ordinary citizens. Connectivity issues, infrastructure, data quality and scarcity issues, accessibility prob