For decades, farming has been a reactive business — reacting to a broken part, a sudden storm or a disease outbreak. Artificial intelligence (AI) is shifting the power dynamic back to the producer.
“Ultimately, AI does not replace farming expertise. It strengthens it and turns everyday farm data into clearer insights that help farmers make better decisions, not different ones,” says Angel Andaya, manager of digital solutions for Silver Support.
Tracy Soper, senior director of data excellence at Keystone Cooperative, says AI isn’t the end-all answer.
“If you try and apply AI to solve all your problems, you’re going to be super frustrated,” Soper says. “This freight train [AI] is trucking down the line, and it’s not slowing down.”
Soper shares six AI trends that he’s watching.
1. Generative AI (here today)
You no longer need a degree in data science to analyze complex production records. Generative AI allows a barn manager to say, “Summarize the last three months of farrowing data and highlight any trends in pre-weaning mortality,” or “Draft a bilingual SOP for our new biosecurity protocol,” in plain English. It puts analytical power into the hands of every member of your team.
2. Cloud Data Platforms (here today)
No more notebooks in the truck or spreadsheets on three different laptops. Enterprise data consolidation means your yield maps, financial records and weather data live in one accessible “digital barn,” making it faster to see the big picture.
3. Agentic AI (emerging)
This is the move from “Tell me” to “Do it.” Agentic AI doesn’t just send a text alert saying a feed bin is low; it orchestrates the entire solution. The system analyzes the pigs’ current consumption rate, checks the feed mill’s weekend delivery schedule, monitors an incoming winter storm forecast and autonomously places the order to ensure those bins are topped off before the roads become impassable.
4. Predictive Operations (emerging)
Predictive AI identifies patterns before they become problems. Imagine a combine that alerts you to an impending bearing failure three days before it happens, or a model that predicts a disease outbreak based on wind speed and other disease outbreaks, allowing for greater preventative measures.
5. Growing Data Demand (on the horizon)
AI is only as good as the data it eats. As these tools multiply, the premium on clean data (accurate logs, calibrated sensors) grows. The most successful farms of the future will be those that treat their data with the same care they treat their herd.
6. AI-Enhanced Engagement (on the horizon)
The next generation of producers are digital natives. They expect AI assistants that can bridge the knowledge gap between a retiring patriarch’s 40 years of experience and a new manager’s first season.
While the ‘AI freight train’ is moving fast, it isn’t destined to leave the producer behind. Instead, these tools are designed to put the power back into the hands of those who know the land and the livestock best. By embracing clean data and staying curious about these emerging trends, farmers can stop reacting to the crises of the day and start predicting the successes of tomorrow.
