Abstract

The rapid expansion of generative artificial intelligence is creating new opportunities for education employment communication and access to information but these benefits are not distributed equally across Indian communities. The emerging algorithmic rural–urban divide extends beyond conventional differences in internet connectivity by including unequal access to AI tools digital literacy language support quality of information and the ability to convert AI use into meaningful social benefits. This paper examines how rural and urban communities experience generative AI differently and analyses the socioeconomic infrastructural linguistic and educational factors shaping these differences. Drawing upon recent scholarship on digital inequality artificial intelligence and rural development the study argues that technological access alone cannot guarantee equal AI benefits. Urban users may possess stronger digital infrastructure and skills while rural communities may face limitations in co