Senate Ag Committee Looks at Potential and Risk of AI

This is Tim Hammerich of the Ag Information Network with your Farm of the Future Report.

The Senate Agriculture Committee hosted a hearing on AI and innovation into American agriculture. In her opening statement, Michigan Senator and Chair Debbie Stabenow pointed to agriculture's role in technology.

Stabenow…. “American agriculture has always been at the forefront of innovation, and artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionize the way we grow, harvest, and distribute our crops. In this rapidly evolving landscape, it is imperative that we strike a balance between harnessing the benefits AI offers while addressing the concerns it raises.”

Concerns about AI include data privacy, workforce implications, and equitable access to the technology. Stabenow says as the USDA looks into this cutting-edge technology, they must be cautious about significant risk.

Stabenow… “Placing vast amounts of data in the hands of a few private companies could accelerate the trend of consolidation or perpetrate biases that have harmed small farmers. High costs are putting AI and precision agriculture technology out of their reach for everyone except the largest operations.”

Again that’s Senator and Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow.