9
AI
AND
GETTING
FOOD
ON
THE
TABLE
4
Consumer perceptions may play a significant role in how AI impacts farming in the future. For instance, if consumers start demanding more food be produced without as many chemicals, that may encourage and support the adoption of more agricultural AI. AI is not only poised to substantially impact how we produce food, but also how it moves through the supply chain, and from the grocery store to consumers ’ refrigerators at home. For example, by using sensors, decreasing the use of herbicides, and increasing yields, AI tech can positively impact supply and demand, stabilizing costs, analyzing sales data and customer preferences over time, and improving the shopping experience. As for how the agricultural industry will receive the integration of AI, that depends on the farmer, Carroll says. He points out that Syngenta once identified two types of farmers. One, he says, is the apathetic minority — those who “ march to Washington and seek out the same old people, the same old advice and keep doing the same things, ” and who are “ not going to try new ideas. ” The second is the type that focuses on the future, regardless of their age. “ They ’ re positive, and they ’ re willing to try new ideas, ” he says of this group. “ They ingest new technology. ”
ROBOTS
MAY
OPERATE
LEAF
BY
LEAF
IN MARCH 2024, THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION GRANTED AN EXEMPTION TO ITS DRONE REGULATIONS THAT ALLOWS A TWO-PERSON TEAM TO FLY “DRONE SWARMS,” OR FLEETS OF DRONES WEIGHING 55 POUNDS OR MORE. THESE CAN WORK WITH GREAT PRECISION AND EFFICIENCY; A SWARM OF THREE MAY BE ABLE TO SPRAY 150 ACRES PER HOUR.
In 2014, Blue River Technology launched the LettuceBot, a machine learning-powered robot that can roll through a field photographing 5,000 young lettuce plants per minute, using AI algorithms to note whether each sprout is a weed or lettuce. It precisely sprays pesticides on each weed it comes across, and if it discovers a lettuce plant that isn ’ t growing well or is too close to another, it also sprays that. Willy Pell, now CEO of Blue River Technology, has said that the LettuceBot ’ s precision means much lower amounts of pesticides are used on a farm, reducing farmers ’ use of chemicals by 90 % .
8
THE
POTENTIAL
RISKS
INVOLVED
While incorporating AI in agriculture can be beneficial in a number of ways, experts agree that there are also potential negatives. Some farmers don ’ t want to embrace new technologies. Others operate in rural farming communities where broadband internet is unavailable and may be left behind. A serious concern is that AI and machine learning will handle some low-skilled jobs usually held by seasonal and migrant workers, who may have trouble finding other work. The initial costs of adopting AI are high and can be difficult for small-scale farmers. Integrating computer vision, robotics, sensors, and other AI technology with one ’ s existing f a r m practices and equipment can b e complex.
Farmers use drones to plan their planting and pest management better and achieve the best possible yields. In March 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration granted an exemption to its drone regulations that allows a two-person team to fly “ drone swarms, ” or fleets of drones weighing 55 pounds or more. These can work with great precision and efficiency ; a swarm of three may be able to spray 150 acres per hour, according to Hylio, a Texas company that makes autonomous drones for precision crop spraying. Drones can also monitor conditions remotely, for example, after a storm when roads are impassable. With this technology, a farmer can “ fly ” over their farm to check for any issues caused by a storm, find accessible roads, and organize any repairs and emergency harvests that may be necessary.
5
ROBOT
TRACTORS
OFFER
MANY
BENEFITS
Robots take up less space than traditional farm equipment and work well for farmers with smaller acreage. They can result in higher yields because they can sometimes help farmers use land that ’ s otherwise difficult to reach, such as high on mountaintops or in tight spaces. Because they use computer vision for precision, fewer herbicides are needed and applied. They can reduce pesticide use by up to 80 % on some large U.S. corn farms, according to McKinsey & Company, resulting in less pesticide wastage, which also protects human workers from the effects of administering chemicals by hand. The electric vehicles also don ’ t emit diesel fumes and run quietly, which negates the need for hearing protection as with traditional tractors.
The latter group who are already embracing certain AI technologies, paired with advances in the field, give Carroll
h o p e .
“ What is happening right
7
now
is
that the pace of research development and implementation is accelerating, ”
EXPERTS
SEE
THE
BENEFITS
OF
Reliance on new tech could also make farmers vulnerable to power outages, technical malfunctions, and other disruptions.
USING
AI
IN
FARMING
h e
says.
Many experts in the industry believe the benefits of using AI in farming outweigh the risks.
“ A t
the same time, we
a r e
Robot tractors have safety features such as 360-degree cameras that could prevent collisions as well.
gett ing this
They agree that AI use can reduce environmental impacts on land, and complete tasks faster and often more precisely. Better efficiency means farmers require less land than in the past, and robots, unlike humans, can work 24 / 7 to get more done. Using AI for farming also means farmers can operate remotely when needed and use data-driven insights for better-informed decision-making, resulting in more efficient farming and food production, an improved supply chain, and greater financial sustainability.
new younger generation taking over the family farm
Data security is another critical The more data you collect and
concern. store in the
6
cloud, the more vulnerable you are to data leaks and cyberattacks. There ’ s even the danger of hackers interrupting the management of entire fields of crops, which could put farmers at risk and interrupt food supplies. Also, there are ethical concerns that AI could be programmed to increase yields and ignore any negative environmental impacts.
or the factory farm, ” he continues. “ Kids today, they ’ ve never known a world without technology. And if you take the typical young farmer, their mindset with precision and all these other things, their attitude is, ‘ Bring it on, I want to use that stuff. ’”
HOW FARMERS ARE USING AI-POWERED DRONES
AI-powered drones can monitor crop health, growth, and production; spray pesticides; keep an eye on irrigation; collect soil and water samples; account for the movement and count of livestock; and even serve as a security system.
“ When you combine those different trends, ” he adds, “ that ’ s the root of my optimism. ”
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ISSUE 01
BLADE RUNNERS
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