Written by Larissa McEwen, DiscoverWeyburn.com

As Saskatchewan sees growing interest in artificial intelligence, questions are emerging about what the technology means for rural communities and the industries that support them.

But AI is already playing a role in rural Saskatchewan, where technology has been changing how people work in agriculture, energy, transportation and other industries.

Gordon More, executive director of the Southeast Techhub, says there is plenty of interest in understanding the technology, from the impact of data centres to how AI could affect jobs, families and local industries.

More says some of the questions being raised are about what data centres could mean for power, water and land, but he says there is also a need to look at how AI is already being used in rural Saskatchewan.

“AI is already everywhere,” More says.

He points to agriculture as one example, with modern farm equipment using machine learning and GPS technology to help with everything from driving combines to making precise applications of seed, fertilizer and pesticides.

“When you’re seeding or putting out your fertilizer or your pesticide or whatever, you’re using GPS. For that GPS calculation to happen correctly so you can get the fine detail of exactly where you are, that’s AI,” More says.

More says artificial intelligence is also already changing industries such as energy, logistics, transportation and the trades.

He says that creates an opportunity for people who understand those industries and the problems they face every day.

“The people that understand the pain points of those transitions are the people that are going to be able to take advantage of this,” More says.

That is already happening in the Southeast, where More says tradespeople are using AI to create software solutions for problems they encounter in their work.

“We’re seeing in our region now, people are now doing what’s called vibe coding, where they will create a software solution that directly resolves their problem,” More says.

While generative AI has brought the technology into the spotlight in recent years, More says artificial intelligence itself has been around for decades.

He says AI dates back to 1958 and began being deployed in practical applications in the 1970s.

More says what has changed is the arrival of generative AI, which has made the technology much more visible and accessible to the public.

He says rural communities have also had more experience with automation than some people may realize, particularly through agriculture and other industries where technology has already changed how work is done.

More says the ability to identify a problem and understand how an industry operates can be just as important as knowing how to write software.

More says local industry knowledge could become increasingly valuable as artificial intelligence continues changing how work is done.