The Impact of AI-Enhanced Social Media on Rural and Urban Students: A Comparative Study

With the increasing penetration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into social media platforms, students’ digital behavior has undergone substantial transformations. AI-driven algorithms now personalize content, influence social behavior, and shape academic engagement. However, the impact of AI-enhanced social media is not uniform across different socio-geographic contexts. This paper explores how AI-driven social media affects rural and urban students differently, focusing on their academic performance, attention span, social behavior, and mental health. A mixed-method approach was adopted involving surveys and interviews with 300 students (150 rural and 150 urban) across India. The findings highlight that while urban students enjoy better digital literacy and content personalization, rural students face challenges such as misinformation, digital divide, and lack of academic engagement. The study recommends targeted policy interventions to ensure equitable digital development.