World Bank President Ajay Banga has called for the deployment of 'Small AI' - locally deployed artificial intelligence running on inexpensive hardware, speaking local languages and solving daily problems for farmers and rural communities.
Speaking at the ATX Singapore 2026 technology summit, Banga cited examples of AI use cases in India and Indonesia, where farmers and nurses received diagnosis and treatment advice through basic mobile technology.
Banga underlined that inexpensive and affordable local technology can become a force for good and offer a major opportunity for emerging markets if deployed in rural regions.
Singapore-based technology entrepreneur Saurav Mukherjee said AI adoption would increasingly move beyond manufacturing and services into agriculture and food cultivation, as the technology need not always be expensive.
Mukherjee warned that shortages of skilled manpower could emerge as a bottleneck in AI adoption and urged governments to adopt a more aggressive approach towards funding technology adoption and creating incentives for private sector investments.
