India reaps AI productivity gains in agriculture and health, World Bank report

The World Bank's World Development Report 2026 highlights how artificial intelligence is delivering practical benefits in developing nations, specifically citing India as a primary example. In the Indian state of Telangana, AI-powered weather forecasting allowed smallholder farmers to adjust their behavior to specific risks, resulting in some farmers achieving net savings of up to $560.

Beyond agriculture, the report notes AI's impact on healthcare and administrative efficiency. In India, the 'Cough Against TB' initiative, developed by Wadhwani AI, successfully flagged 90% of individuals requiring confirmatory tuberculosis tests by analyzing cough sounds. Additionally, agricultural chatbots like Kisan e-Mitra have significantly scaled query handling, managing millions of requests in multiple languages.

The report suggests that while high-income countries focus on the risks of AI replacing white-collar workers, developing economies may face different challenges, such as pressure on business-process outsourcing and call-center jobs. However, it emphasizes that AI can enhance productivity and assist in areas like tax collection, disaster response, and education.