ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE-DRIVEN FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAMMES AND RURAL WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTIONS: A STUDY IN TAMIL NADU'S SELF-HELP GROUPS

Abstract

This study investigates how AI-powered financial literacy interventions shape entrepreneurial intentions amongst rural women participating in Self-Help Groups across Tamil Nadu. We collected primary data from 384 women spanning six districts using stratified random sampling techniques. Our analysis employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling to examine hypothesised relationships. The findings demonstrate that AI-enabled financial literacy tools substantially enhance entrepreneurial self-efficacy and opportunity recognition capabilities. Notably, voice-based vernacular applications achieved considerably higher engagement compared to text-based alternatives, which we attribute to literacy constraints prevalent in rural contexts. Digital financial inclusion emerged as a significant mediating mechanism linking financial literacy gains to entrepreneurial intention formation. These findings carry important implications for policymakers designing inclusive development programmes aligned with India's Viksit Bharat vision, particularly regarding technology-enabled approaches to women's economic empowerment in underserved communities.