How generative AI can play a role in your farm

Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that creates text, images and other types of media in response to prompts. By learning existing data and identifying patterns, large language models make it easy for users to quickly generate new and original content.

One of the most popular generative AI tools, ChatGPT, went viral on social media after an early demo was released publicly in late 2022. Over 100 million users are now putting the chatbot to work to answer questions and help complete a variety of tasks.

Farm business uses

Morgan Wadsworth, innovation specialist at FCC, says ChatGPT has taken the world by storm and has essentially become an assistant to everyone.

Generative AI models can be used to learn about virtually any topic, including farm business planning and other areas where farmers may be seeking knowledge. From crops and pests to commodity market cycles, financial management and more, these tools can be viewed as built-in learning services.

ChatGPT is also changing the way marketing content is generated. It’s become known for boosting creativity and reducing writing time, which could be a game-changer for agribusinesses that have websites, post blogs or use social media.

Generative AI is helpful now, but it’s only going to get better.

“Where this technology is headed is quite powerful,” Wadsworth says. “Farm software companies are looking at ways to factor AI into their offerings so farmers can make critical decisions using their operational data. It’s going to open up access to information and insights in a different way, where you don’t have to rely on waiting for a human advisor.”

How to get started

Wadsworth encourages farmers to try ChatGPT or other models but cautions not to approach them like a Google search.

The more information and context provided in the prompt, the better the output data will be. A recommended rule for optimal results is to write the prompt as if you are talking to an expert to seek advice.

Wadsworth also advises farmers to err on the side of caution and make sure to fact-check generative AI responses. Although platforms appear very confident in their answers, some could generate inaccurate information because they are either trained on false information or are not up to date with current events.

“It’s a great time to ease into generative AI and get familiar with it,” he says. “More AI is coming and it’s going to be very accessible to every farmer very shortly.”

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