Artificial intelligence (AI) tools and opportunities are expanding into rural communities — particularly in digital agriculture — and broadband providers serving those communities can and should be part of the growing movement. This article dives into a new National Science Foundation (NSF) funding opportunity, the role of AI in digital ag, and how broadband providers are powering tomorrow’s tools.
The NSF, the USDA, and the AI-Ready America initiative
In late March, the NSF announced a new funding opportunity for its TechAccess: the AI-Ready America initiative, which seeks to “expand access to AI knowledge, tools, training, and capacity building so all Americans can participate in — and benefit from — the AI economy.”
The NSF is planning to invest $1 million per year — for three to four years — to fund “AI-Ready Coordination Hubs” in all 50 states in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA), the U.S. Department of Labor, and the Small Business Administration.
The NSF’s announcement included a quote from USDA-NIFA Director Jaye Hamby about the connection between AI and rural communities:
“USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture is proud to partner with NSF on this national effort to ensure that every community — including the most rural — can benefit from the power of artificial intelligence. By investing in tools and training that meet farmers and ranchers where they are, we’re helping build an agricultural future that is more resilient, more efficient and more accessible for all.”
Rural broadband and the AI-Ready America initiative
Telecompetitor reached out to the NSF and USDA-NIFA to discuss what the AI-Ready America initiative means for broadband providers. A spokesperson from the NSF said, “We would welcome any and all resources that could positively contribute to the AI-Ready America vision, and that would include broadband providers connecting with their state Coordination Hubs to build out necessary enabling digital infrastructure.”
The USDA-NIFA communications team told us, “Rural broadband providers are essential partners in building the AI-enabled digital infrastructure that supports modern agriculture. Reliable, high-capacity connectivity allows producers and rural businesses to adopt precision ag technologies, access real-time data systems, and fully participate in emerging AI tools that improve productivity, resilience, and long-term sustainability.”
USDA-NIFA also noted that rural broadband providers keep their networks affordable and accessible, “which is critical for AI adoption across rural communities.”
The agency also offered examples of two programs related to digital ag and AI that broadband providers can be part of:
- Regional Rural Development Centers work with colleges, universities, and community leaders to strengthen regional networks and support responsible technology adoption. “They can help convene stakeholders, including broadband providers, to ensure rural perspectives shape AI readiness plans,” USDA-NIFA said.
- The Institute for Rural Partnerships — located at three geographically diverse universities — addresses rural issues, including broadband access, and focuses on research, technical assistance, and community solutions to rural challenges. “Its work can help ensure that AI tools and digital infrastructure benefit rural communities equitably and are grounded in local context,” USDA-NIFA said.
“These NIFA-funded programs can help rural broadband providers connect with regional experts, access technical resources, and contribute to community-led strategies that align with AI-Ready America’s goals and support agriculture and rural development,” they concluded.
The role of AI in digital agriculture
The University of Illinois’ Center for Digital Agriculture is a leader in bringing AI tools to digital ag. Telecompetitor spoke with Vikram Adve, the Center’s cofounder and scientific codirector. He is also the principal investigator for AIFARMS National AI Institute and the Donald B. Gillies Professor of Computer Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Adve was quick to note that while AI in agriculture is accelerating rapidly, it is still finding its footing. “AI is really in its infancy in the agricultural space,” he said, adding that while commercial products have been emerging for years, the pace of development has picked up dramatically in the last three to four years.
He noted five broad categories in which AI is making inroads on the farm — including those that do and don’t rely on broadband:
- Computer vision and precision spraying. Adve mentioned John Deere’s See & Spray system, which uses cameras to identify weeds and apply herbicide with surgical precision. The machine runs its computer vision models on the equipment itself, with no network connection required. This edge computing approach is common in agricultural AI.
- Robotics. One of the fastest-growing areas in ag tech, robots are being used for crop scouting, weed control, planting, harvesting, pruning, and even cleaning livestock facilities. Many companies are developing mechanical and laser-based alternatives to chemical weed control, driven by the growing crisis of herbicide resistance.
- AI chatbots. Unlike precision spraying or robotics, broadband connectivity is vital for ag-centric AI chatbots. Adve said farmers are increasingly turning to large language models — like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini — to find answers to agronomy questions. Some ag companies are building dedicated advisory services around these models. These chatbots can be used in stripped-down, locally run versions, but Adve said those are far less effective.
- Satellite and drone imagery. Farms can use AI-powered analysis of aerial imagery, ranging from standard RGB to multispectral and hyperspectral data. This is an area of active growth and has significant data and connectivity implications, particularly as image resolution and complexity increase.
- Administrative burdens. Adve said farmers spend enormous amounts of time on paperwork, Farm Service Agency reporting, recordkeeping, and other overhead tasks that have little to do with why most of them got into farming. AI tools are automating many of these tasks, saving farmers time that is “a huge drag on their lives.”
For rural broadband providers specifically, Adve sees a significant economic opportunity tied to edge computing for digital ag. As AI applications become more data-intensive — especially those relying on imagery and video — transmitting that data to distant cloud servers becomes impractical. The solution is deploying compute capacity closer to the source, ideally co-located with existing network infrastructure.
From the field: A broadband provider powering digital ag and AI
Telecompetitor spoke with Dan English, a managed IT services technician with West Carolina. Based in western South Carolina, West Carolina provides the fiber broadband backbone that powers digital agriculture in the area.
“That connectivity is supporting everything from soil and irrigation monitoring systems to cloud-based farm and livestock management platforms,” English said. “All of which are helping producers, agribusiness, and education partners make better data-driven decisions.”
English said scale is the biggest challenge for rural broadband providers in providing digital ag services. “That last mile in rural South Carolina means dealing with terrain, distance, and harsh conditions — all while maintaining reliable service. It’s a balance of investing in infrastructure and getting creative with deployments.”
English echoed what Adve said about AI in digital ag: Most AI is being used through existing platforms rather than standalone initiatives.
Broadband providers’ role is supporting the networks that make AI possible. “There’s definitely some hesitation [about AI], mostly around complexity and trust, but once they can clearly see its benefits, their willingness to adopt AI follows,” English said. “That puts the responsibility on us to make sure the network, the security, and the data flow are solid — because if those pieces aren’t reliable, the value of AI drops fast.”
English believes digital ag and broadband are directly connected to the goal of ensuring better lives for people in rural areas.
“Agriculture is a cornerstone of South Carolina’s economy, and we’re committed to ensuring that our local farmers, agribusinesses, and ag education partners can operate efficiently and competitively,” he said.
“Reliable connectivity positions our communities to attract and retain talent by opening doors to advanced, technology-driven agricultural opportunities. In rural South Carolina, broadband isn’t just a convenience; it’s a critical utility that directly impacts economic stability and growth.”
The NSF’s funding opportunity for AI-Ready America state-based Coordination Hubs isn’t funding for network deployment or intended for broadband providers. But rural broadband providers have a vital role to play as the backbone for digital agriculture — which increasingly relies on AI — and myriad other tools that connect people in rural communities. Providers need and deserve a seat at the table in statewide discussions of AI.
