AI-Driven Countryside Quest: Peasants in Rural China Embrace DeepSeek for Guidance

The rural inhabitants, making up one-third of China’s 1.4 billion people, are enthusiastic about utilizing AI services. <p> In China’s expansive rural areas, a DeepSeek scenario is unfolding as villagers find chatbots helpful for obtaining guidance on subjects varying from hog cultivation to crop protection. </p> <p> Due to China’s wide-ranging internet access and high mobile phone usage, the nation's rural inhabitants—who make up one-third of its 1.4 billion people—are keen on utilizing AI technologies in agriculture and daily village life following the national surge in AI uptake sparked by DeepSeek, the Hangzhou startup, through its open-source models. </p> <p> Chinese tech giants like Alibaba Group Holding and Tencent Holdings have also created user-friendly chatbots to expedite the spread of AI applications. Alibaba, which owns the South ChinaMorning Post, entered into a strategic alliance with the Zhejiang provincial government partially to address the urban-rural income disparity through the use of AI technology. </p> <p> Are you curious about the most significant issues and global trends? Find out here. SCMP Knowledge Our updated platform features handpicked content including explainers, FAQs, analyses, and infographics, all provided by our esteemed team of experts. </p> <div class="image-inline-container"> <img data-document-id="cms/api/amp/image/AA1BVkmT" data-reference="image" src="https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1BVkmT.jpg"/> </div> <p> China’s leading AI chatbots like Tencent's Yuanbao, Alibaba's Tongyi, and ByteDance's Doubao are rapidly gaining new users, even among people living in remote rural areas. </p> <p> In Jiaohe, a town in northeastern Jilin province, a village chief reached out to Tencent directly for help in promoting AI to villagers. In advertisements displayed around the town, he encouraged the townspeople to "search Tencent Yuanbao on the app store". </p> <p> Village Chief Mr. Lu informed the Post that the chatbot has seamlessly integrated into daily rural routines. Villagers leverage AI functionalities to recognize flora and fauna, examine paperwork, locate governmental aid programs, obtain agricultural and animal husbandry guidance, and create marketing content for regional online commerce ventures. </p> <p> Tencent established a dedicated task force to launch an "AI for Agriculture" initiative. According to a Tencent staff member involved in the project, features such as image recognition and voice control have greatly reduced obstacles for farming communities. Additionally, the firm adjusted its artificial intelligence algorithms to better suit agricultural requirements and worked alongside local authorities to enhance educational efforts. </p> <div class="image-inline-container"> <img data-document-id="cms/api/amp/image/AA1BVfW5" data-reference="image" src="https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1BVfW5.jpg"/> </div> <p> Slogans advocating for Tencent’s Yuanbao, which incorporated DeepSeek's R1 reasoning model in February, have proliferated across rural areas of China, notably in the northeast region, igniting conversations on Chinese social platforms. “Encountering issues with identifying crop diseases?” “Consult Tencent Yuanbao.” “Worried about beginning your rural business venture?” “Ask Tencent Yuanbao.” “Facing challenges with live-streaming commerce?” “Reach out to Tencent Yuanbao.” These messages appear prominently on road signs, written in striking white and yellow letters. </p> <p> Last month, Yuanbao saw its daily active users skyrocket twentyfold in just February, according to Tencent President Martin Lau Chi-ping, who mentioned this during the firm’s recent quarterly revenue discussion. </p> <p> Alibaba’s Quark, which initially launched as both a browser and cloud storage service before being relabeled as their primary AI assistant, had accumulated 146.6 million monthly active users by February, based on statistics from China-based AI tracking platform AIcpb. Another rapidly rising AI application, Doubao, garnered 81.9 million monthly active users, whereas DeepSeek’s corresponding app managed to attract 61.8 million users during the same period. </p> <p> Local administrations are increasingly utilizing AI to enhance farming practices. For instance, in Enping—a township located in South Guangdong Province—the municipal government has implemented an AI system powered by DeepSeek. This technology alerts farmers about potential pest threats through notifications sent directly to their smartphones, as reported by the local authorities' newspaper. </p> <p> The swift expansion of AI services has fueled optimism about reducing China’s urban-rural poverty disparity, yet it has also sparked worries. This includes the dissemination of AI-created material such as convincing yet deceptive video and audio recordings, alongside speculative tools like AI-driven stock trading platforms. </p> <p> Lu, the party secretary in Jilin, emphasized the significance of educating locals on using artificial intelligence responsibly. Consequently, he intends to organize additional training sessions aimed at instructing villagers on how to critically and impartially assess AI-generated replies. </p> <p> "The surge in artificial intelligence signifies a trend toward technology democratization. It is crucial for rural regions to capitalize on this chance to close the knowledge divide between urban and rural communities," Lu stated. </p> <p> More Articles from SCMP </p> <p> The founder of Khaite, Cate Holstein, combines functionality with enthusiasm to create a high-end label emphasizing excellence, deliberate styling, and a hint of flamboyance – it’s clear why Kendall Jenner appreciates this brand. </p> <p> Hong Kong issues cold weather alert as temperatures are expected to drop to 12 degrees Celsius. </p> <p> Venue officials dismiss grievances as setbacks mar the brilliance of the Hong Kong Sevens tournament. </p> <p> Hong Kong Sevens: organizers urged to 'complete the task' after more excitement at Kai Tak </p> <p> The article initially appeared on the South ChinaMorning Post (www.scmp.com), which is the premier source for news coverage of China andAsia. </p> <p> Copyright © 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. </p>

AI-Driven Countryside Quest: Peasants in Rural China Embrace DeepSeek for Guidance

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The rural inhabitants, making up one-third of China’s 1.4 billion people, are enthusiastic about utilizing AI services. In China’s expansive rural areas, a DeepSeek scenario is unfolding as villagers…

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