Rural broadband providers expect AI to make a significant impact

Most rural broadband providers expect AI to change how they operate, even as the majority remain in the early stages of using it, according to Telecompetitor’s 2026 Rural Broadband State of AI study. Of the 132 providers surveyed, 91 percent said they anticipate a significant impact on both their own companies and the wider industry. That expectation has not yet translated into deep adoption, and the findings suggest that many providers are not as far behind as they might feel. Nearly half of respondents described their AI use as limited or informal, while about half said they are experimenting with the technology. Only 1 percent reported integrating AI into core systems or workflows, indicating the bar most providers measure themselves against is lower than they probably think.