Understanding Artificial Intelligence Adoption and Use in Rural Small Medium Enterprises: An Opportunity to Level Up?

The growth of artificial intelligence (AI) has posed challenges and yet offers opportunities for SMEs. The adoption and use of AI has been heralded as the 4th Industrial Revolution, however, there are considerations as with most technologies regarding implications for society. The concerns around AI’s impact on employment, and industry sectors is parlayed by the urban rural technological divide. This research aims to identify the adoption of AI by rural SMEs, and to understand what if any impact it is having. We conduct analysis to identify which SMEs in rural areas are using AI, and what their future intentions are. Thus, addressing the research needed to understand what, if any, effect AI will have on rural economies in terms of jobs, exporting, and in future extensions. We profile the SMEs who have adopted AI, then analyse why they adopted, along with their future intentions. We find that networks more so than internal factors play a significant role in the adoption of AI. Moreover, the intentions of AI adopters are to expand, and therefore contribute more to rural economies rather than constrain employment for example.