FREMONT, CA – Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have revolutionized every industry, including agriculture, driving enhancement of various processes over the last few decades. However, progress has been incremental. For technology to complement the ecology of this planet, there is a need for the development of more sustainable practices.

AI technologies have shown great potential in resolving many of the obstacles and challenges plaguing the agricultural industry. The integration of AI into the farming processes have paved the way for increased productivity and profits. It has assisted in overcoming the labor shortage and reducing the adverse effects on the environment.

Agriculture is vital for the production and supply of food. Research by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization predicts the global population to rise from 7 billion to 9.2 billion by the year 2050. Consequently, food production needs to increase by 60 percent. However, the traditional approaches cannot assist the farmers in meeting the demand. Hence, there is a need for farmers to adopt more efficient techniques to drive productivity.

The significant challenges that hinder agricultural growth are the shortage of labor and the drop in crop revenues. Also, the concerns of climate change also play into the agrarian processes, as it is one of the biggest consumers of water and energy, not to mention a significant source of carbon dioxide emission and soil erosion.

The incorporation of AI technologies can assist the farmers in analyzing the agricultural data. It can learn, improve, and execute more effective processes with minimum or no human intervention. Farmers can utilize AI to assess crop data and design a profit map that helps in understanding the most effective ways of maximizing the yield and profit.

The accuracy ensured by AI technology will significantly advance sustainable smart farming. Several agtech startups around the world are developing AI-powered equipment to aid the farmers in increasing productivity in their farms. In the coming years, the AI technology boom will likely replace tractor-based farming with robotics for the cultivation crops, utilizing data analytics, statistical modeling, and deep learning to simulate optimum agricultural conditions in the farm.

The implementation of robots in agriculture is a part of the emerging trend called farming-as-a-service (FaaS). The farm management solutions will assist the farmers in overcoming the slack in labor and streamlining the menial and time-consuming tasks, allowing them to concentrate on marketing their yield.