The Role of Digital Advances in Empowering Rural Areas

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an essential tool in modern times, facilitating daily human activities such as forecasting, thinking, analyzing, assessing, interpreting, and responding with greater accuracy and efficiency than humans. This significant technological advancement has captured the attention of IT organizations, emerging as a major tool following mobile and cloud platforms. AI is invigorating individuals and markets alike.

India, a developing country with a vast rural population and agriculture as a primary livelihood, has seen AI's influence grow. AI was first introduced by American computer scientist John McCarthy at the 1955 Dartmouth Conference. Agriculture, one of humanity's oldest activities, thrives in India's diverse climates, making it the world's largest producer of milk, pulses, and jute, and a leading producer of rice, wheat, sugarcane, and other crops.

Despite its agricultural strength, many Indian farmers still rely on traditional methods. AI offers opportunities to enhance agricultural productivity, competitiveness, and rural growth. This paper explores the scope and limitations of AI in rural areas, highlighting its potential to transform traditional farming practices and improve output for India's rural population.