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Mint
16-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
Drones, AI and robot pickers: Meet the fully autonomous farm
In the verdant hills of Washington state's Palouse region, Andrew Nelson's tractor hums through the wheat fields on his 7,500-acre farm. Inside the cab, he's not gripping the steering wheel—he's on a Zoom call or checking messages. A software engineer and fifth-generation farmer, Nelson, 41, is at the vanguard of a transformation that is changing the way we grow and harvest our food. The tractor isn't only driving itself; its array of sensors, cameras, and analytic software is also constantly deciding where and when to spray fertilizer or whack weeds. Many modern farms already use GPS-guided tractors and digital technology such as farm-management software systems. Now, advances in artificial intelligence mean that the next step—the autonomous farm, with only minimal human tending—is finally coming into focus. Imagine a farm where fleets of autonomous tractors, drones and harvesters are guided by AI that tweaks operations minute by minute based on soil and weather data. Sensors would track plant health across thousands of acres, triggering precise sprays or irrigation exactly where needed. Farmers could swap long hours in the cab for monitoring dashboards and making high-level decisions. Every seed, drop of water and ounce of fertilizer would be optimized to boost yields and protect the land—driven by a connected system that gets smarter with each season. Andrew Nelson, who has tested agriculture technology for Microsoft as a consultant, launches a drone to take multispectral images of a field to document drainage and the amount of weeds. Much of the technology to power an autonomous revolution in agriculture already exists or is nearly ready for market launch. 'We're just getting to a turning point in the commercial viability of a lot of these technologies," says David Fiocco, a senior partner at McKinsey & Co. who leads research on agricultural innovation. A McKinsey survey in 2022 found that around two-thirds of American farms use digital systems to manage their farm operations, but only 15% of large farms and just 4% of smaller ones have yet invested significantly in robotics or automation. Fiocco expects the use of robots to rise dramatically in the coming years. Despite the promise of digital tools and autonomous machines, cost is a big barrier. Connectivity is another hurdle. Robots need to talk to each other. Moving data to a cloud requires broadband internet, and from a remote field that likely needs to be wireless. But wireless internet and land-based broadband aren't available everywhere in rural America. In developing countries, the digital gap is even wider. Some farmers are experimenting with edge computing, a networking design that stores data closer to where it originates. But experts say ultimately farms need to be connected to cloud-based systems. Here's a look at some of the essential components in the vision of the autonomous farm. Autonomous tractors Tractors that can plant, till and harvest with little, or only remote, human supervision are moving from prototype to practice. Traditional manufacturers and tech startups are placing big bets. Monarch Tractor, a Livermore, Calif., firm, has rolled out an all-electric, 'driver-optional" tractor now working vineyards. Its MK-V model can run up to 14 hours on a charge and be ready to roll again after six hours plugged in. Farmwise, another California company, has developed an AI-guided mechanical weeder and tiller that uses computer vision and robotics to identify and pluck weeds, running day or night, reducing the need for herbicides. In April, salad giant Taylor Farms acquired Farmwise, citing the technology's promise to cut labor costs and support more sustainable farming. Deere & Co. is taking an incremental approach, adding layers of automation to help farmers become comfortable with the technology—and see immediate payoffs—while paving the way toward full autonomy. Some of Deere's large sprayers use 'See & Spray" technology that incorporates computer vision and machine learning to target weeds in soybean, corn and cotton crops. Trained on thousands of images to identify weeds in real time and command individual nozzles to spray only where needed, it reduces herbicide use by up to two-thirds, the company says. Thirty-six cameras mounted on a sprayer boom scan fields at 2,100 square feet per second—far beyond what the human eye can manage. Using data and AI to analyze individual plants could eventually become a mainstream practice in farming. A 5,000-acre farm can contain around 750 million plants, and the challenge is giving each one its share of tender loving care. 'Sensing technology paired with models, paired with automation and eventually autonomy where it makes sense—there's a lot of opportunity there," says Sarah Schinckel, director of emerging technologies at the Moline, Ill.-based company. Fruit-picking robots and drones Automation, now most often used on large farms with wheat or corn laid out in neat rows, is a bigger challenge for crops like fruits and berries, which ripen at different times and grow on trees or bushes. Maintaining and harvesting these so-called specialty crops is labor-intensive. 'In specialty crops, the small army of weeders and pickers could soon be replaced by just one or two people overseeing the technology. That may be a decade out, but that's where we're going," says Fiocco of McKinsey. Fragile fruits like strawberries and grapes pose a huge challenge. Tortuga, an agriculture tech startup in Denver, developed a robot to do the job. Tortuga was acquired in March by vertical farming company Oishii. The robot resembles NASA's Mars Rover with fat tires and extended arms. It rolls along a bed of strawberries or grapes and uses a long pincher arm to reach into the vine and snip off a single berry or a bunch of grapes, placing them gingerly into a basket. 'Robotic harvesting can offer greater consistency and efficiency than manual labor, while reducing expenses and addressing the labor shortages affecting the industry as a whole," Brendan Somerville, chief operating officer and co-founder of Oishii said in an email, adding that the company's long-term vision is to fully automate its harvesting operations. Israel-based Tevel Aerobotics Technologies aims to help fruit growers reduce the need for labor with its 'Flying Autonomous Robots" that can prune, thin and harvest crops. Using AI and machine vision, the robots locate the fruit, determine whether it's ripe and then pluck it off the tree. 'Growers who don't adopt robotics won't survive—they simply have no choice," says Tevel Chief Executive and founder Yaniv Maor. Scaling up, however, remains a cost challenge for the company. Remote sensing, image analytics Drones and satellites, guided by artificial intelligence, are turning farms into data-driven operations. By capturing detailed images and sensor readings, they create 'digital twins"—virtual replicas of fields that show exactly where crops are too dry, too wet or under attack by disease or pests. This technology lets farmers spot problems early and target interventions more precisely, cutting waste and boosting yields. While pieces of this system are already in place, the next step is a fully connected network of machines that not only detect issues but learn from them. Ranveer Chandra, a senior Microsoft executive who spearheaded agriculture technology applications, sees a future where tractors and drones work in tandem, performing tasks like planting or spraying while continuously feeding new data into AI models tailored to each farm's conditions. 'There will be more automation, more use of drones, more robotics—it won't be farms without farmers, but AI will significantly amplify the productivity of every grower," Chandra says. 'Every time a drone flies or a tractor plants, it's gathering data that updates the farm's own unique AI model." Soil intelligence The SoilOptix system set up for mapping, with a gamma-radiation spectrometer on the vehicle, a soil-core sampler at left, a computer for data-collection monitoring and RTK GPS tech A crop is only as healthy as its soil. Traditionally, farmers send topsoil samples to a lab to have them analyzed. New technology that uses sensors to scan the soil on-site is enabling a precise diagnosis covering large areas of farms rather than spot checks. The diagnosis includes microbial analysis as well as identifying areas of soil compaction, when the soil becomes dense, hindering water infiltration, root penetration and gas exchange. Knowing this can help a farmer plan where to till and make other decisions about the new season. Canada-based SoilOptix says microbial soil analysis can enable farmers to more accurately determine changing conditions within a field. Rather than spraying or irrigating an entire field, the farmer can pinpoint where to spray, which dose to use, and the best timing for intervention. The virtual fence New technology is also changing livestock management. The creation of virtual fences, which are beginning to be adopted in the U.S., Europe and Australia, has the potential to help ranchers save money on expensive fencing and help them better manage their herds. Livestock are given GPS-enabled collars, and virtual boundaries are drawn on a digital map. If an animal approaches the virtual boundary, it first gets an auditory warning. If it continues, it gets zapped with a mild but firm electric shock. Write to future@
Los Angeles Times
15-07-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
SpaceX plans Starship program for in-orbit drug research
SpaceX is working on a program to use its mammoth Starship rocket to develop commercial products in space, potentially opening up a new business line for the world's most valuable private startup, according to people familiar with the matter. Under the plan, internally called Starfall, SpaceX's Starship rocket would bring products like pharmaceutical components to space in small, uncrewed capsules, said one of the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the matter is confidential. Starship would then deploy the capsules, which would spend time in orbit before reentering the atmosphere, where they could be recovered back on Earth, the person added. The Starfall program would allow companies to take advantage of the unique conditions of space, specifically micro-gravity and higher levels of radiation, which can provide a new environment for manufacturing pharmaceutical drugs, semiconductors, food, and even beauty products. A representative for SpaceX, formally known as Space Exploration Technologies Corp., didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The initiative could make SpaceX, which has dramatically lowered the cost of launching to orbit, a key leader in the sector of space-based research and development for commercial goods. The SpaceX program is still in the early stages of development and the plans could change. The effort is highly reliant on the operational ability of Starship, which has been plagued by a string of explosive failures over its last several test flights. SpaceX plans to make the program operational roughly by the end of the decade, one of the people said. The company is in talks with potential customers for the service, the people said. A team to work on the initiative was created recently under the leadership of Chris Trautner, senior director of vehicle engineering for the Falcon family of rockets, one of the people said. According to an analysis conducted by the McKinsey & Co. consulting firm, certain industries could generate billions of dollars in additional revenue by expanding into space. California-based startup Varda Space Industries, which is backed by billionaire Peter Thiel, has a similar business model of processing materials in space and has so far launched three capsules on board a SpaceX rocket and subsequently recovered them. Starfall, the people said, also has defense applications, and SpaceX is working in conjunction with the military on the program, the outlines of which were reported by the Wall Street Journal in May. It wasn't immediately clear how Starfall fits into an existing SpaceX contract with the US Department of Defense to develop Starship for sending huge quantities of military cargo and humanitarian aid between points on Earth. Pashankar, Ludlow and Porter write for Bloomberg.
NDTV
14-07-2025
- Business
- NDTV
AI Drives 38% Decline In White-Collar Jobs In UK, Finds McKinsey
UK businesses are dialing back hiring for jobs that are likely to be affected by the rollout of artificial intelligence, a study found, suggesting the new technology is accentuating a slowdown in the nation's labour market. Job vacancies have declined across the board in the UK as employers cut costs in the face of sluggish growth and high borrowing rates, with the overall number of online job postings down 31% in the three months to May compared with the same period in 2022, a McKinsey & Co. analysis found. But it has been the most acute for occupations expected to be significantly altered by AI: Postings for such jobs - like white-collar ones in tech or finance - dropped 38%, almost twice the decline seen elsewhere, according to the consulting firm. "The anticipation of significant - albeit uncertain - future productivity gains, especially as the technology and its applications mature, is prompting companies to review their workforce strategies and pause aspects of their recruitment," said Tera Allas, a senior adviser at McKinsey. The trend appears to be exerting another drag on the UK job market just as tax increases prompt cuts in lower-skilled sectors like retail and hospitality and the pace of economic growth stalls. Occupations considered to be highly exposed to AI - meaning the technology can replace at least some of the tasks involved - have recorded the sharpest contractions in vacancies, McKinsey's analysis showed. Demand for jobs such as programmers, management consultants or graphic designers fell more than 50% over the last three years. Some of that may also be due to industry-specific issues and a challenging macroeconomic backdrop. But McKinsey said in some sectors, like professional services and information technology, the number of job openings dropped even as businesses reported healthy growth rates. Data shared by job-search website Indeed also indicated early signs that AI is affecting hiring decisions. It showed that employers tend to cut hiring in fields that involve building or using AI tools, according to Pawel Adrjan, director of EMEA economic research at the Indeed Hiring Lab. For example, vacancies in mathematics, which mainly consist of data science and analytics roles, had the highest share of AI mentions in job descriptions but are down almost 50% from pre-pandemic levels, Indeed figures showed. At the other end of the spectrum, real estate or education jobs that barely mention technology grew over the period. Some entry-level jobs involving tasks like summarizing meetings or sifting through documents are particularly exposed to AI, accelerating a decline in such roles as companies streamline headcount costs. Entry-level postings, which include apprenticeships, internships or junior jobs with no degree requirements, have fallen by almost a third since ChatGPT came to market at the end of 2022, according to data from job-search website Adzuna. "The rapid rise of artificial intelligence is adding pressure on young jobseekers, who are still in the grip of the Covid aftermath, marked by inflation, economic headwinds, and low business confidence," said James Neave, head of data science at Adzuna.
Straits Times
14-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
AI is already showing signs of slashing job openings in the UK: Study
Job vacancies have declined across the board in the UK as employers cut costs in the face of sluggish growth and high borrowing rates. Businesses in Britain are dialling back hiring for jobs that are likely to be affected by the roll-out of artificial intelligence, a study found, suggesting the new technology is accentuating a slowdown in the nation's labour market. Job vacancies have declined across the board in Britain as employers cut costs in the face of sluggish growth and high borrowing rates, with the overall number of online job postings down 31 per cent in the three months to May compared with the same period in 2022, a McKinsey & Co. analysis found. But it has been the most acute for occupations expected to be significantly altered by AI: Postings for such jobs – like white-collar ones in tech or finance – dropped 38 per cent, almost twice the decline seen elsewhere, according to the consulting firm. 'The anticipation of significant – albeit uncertain – future productivity gains, especially as the technology and its applications mature, is prompting companies to review their workforce strategies and pause aspects of their recruitment,' said McKinsey senior adviser Tera Allas. The trend appears to be exerting another drag on the UK job market just as tax increases prompt cuts in lower-skilled sectors like retail and hospitality and the pace of economic growth stalls. Occupations considered to be highly exposed to AI – meaning the technology can replace at least some of the tasks involved – have recorded the sharpest contractions in vacancies, McKinsey's analysis showed. Demand for jobs such as programmers, management consultants or graphic designers fell more than 50 per cent over the last three years. Some of that may also be due to industry-specific issues and a challenging macroeconomic backdrop. But McKinsey said in some sectors, like professional services and information technology, the number of job openings dropped even as businesses reported healthy growth rates. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business Singapore's economy continues to expand in Q2 despite US tariff uncertainty: Advance estimate Singapore Singapore to train more aviation and maritime officials from around the world Singapore What's in a name? Local author traces the evolution of Singaporean Chinese names Business From wellness zone to neurodivergent room: How companies are creating inviting, inclusive offices Singapore Swift action needed to stop vaping's slide from health risk to drug epidemic Singapore Govt will continue to support families, including growing group of seniors: PM Wong at PCF Family Day Singapore Art by Pathlight students to be displayed along Singapore River Sport Jannik Sinner dethrones Carlos Alcaraz to capture maiden Wimbledon crown Data shared by job-search website Indeed also indicated early signs that AI is affecting hiring decisions. It showed that employers tend to cut hiring in fields that involve building or using AI tools, according to Mr Pawel Adrjan, director of EMEA economic research at the Indeed Hiring Lab. For example, vacancies in mathematics, which mainly consist of data science and analytics roles, had the highest share of AI mentions in job descriptions but are down almost 50 per cent from pre-pandemic levels, Indeed figures showed. At the other end of the spectrum, real estate or education jobs that barely mention the technology grew over the period. Some entry-level jobs involving tasks like summarising meetings or sifting through documents are particularly exposed to AI, accelerating a decline in such roles as companies streamline headcount costs. Entry-level postings, which include apprenticeships, internships or junior jobs with no degree requirements, have fallen by almost a third since ChatGPT came to market at the end of 2022, according to data from job-search website Adzuna. 'The rapid rise of artificial intelligence is adding pressure on young jobseekers, who are still in the grip of the Covid aftermath, marked by inflation, economic headwinds, and low business confidence,' said Mr James Neave, head of data science at Adzuna. BLOOMBERG
Malaysian Reserve
14-07-2025
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
AI is already showing signs of slashing job openings in the UK
UK businesses are dialing back hiring for jobs that are likely to be affected by the rollout of artificial intelligence, a study found, suggesting the new technology is accentuating a slowdown in the nation's labor market. Job vacancies have declined across the board in the UK as employers cut costs in the face of sluggish growth and high borrowing rates, with the overall number of online job postings down 31% in the three months to May compared with the same period in 2022, a McKinsey & Co. analysis found. But it has been the most acute for occupations expected to be significantly altered by AI: Postings for such jobs — like white-collar ones in tech or finance — dropped 38%, almost twice the decline seen elsewhere, according to the consulting firm. 'The anticipation of significant – albeit uncertain – future productivity gains, especially as the technology and its applications mature, is prompting companies to review their workforce strategies and pause aspects of their recruitment,' said Tera Allas, a senior adviser at McKinsey. The trend appears to be exerting another drag on the UK job market just as tax increases prompt cuts in lower-skilled sectors like retail and hospitality and the pace of economic growth stalls. Occupations considered to be highly exposed to AI — meaning the technology can replace at least some of the tasks involved — have recorded the sharpest contractions in vacancies, McKinsey's analysis showed. Demand for jobs such as programmers, management consultants or graphic designers fell more than 50% over the last three years. Some of that may also be due to industry-specific issues and a challenging macroeconomic backdrop. But McKinsey said in some sectors, like professional services and information technology, the number of job openings dropped even as businesses reported healthy growth rates. Data shared by job-search website Indeed also indicated early signs that AI is affecting hiring decisions. It showed that employers tend to cut hiring in fields that involve building or using AI tools, according to Pawel Adrjan, director of EMEA economic research at the Indeed Hiring Lab. For example, vacancies in mathematics, which mainly consist of data science and analytics roles, had the highest share of AI mentions in job descriptions but are down almost 50% from pre-pandemic levels, Indeed figures showed. At the other end of the spectrum, real estate or education jobs that barely mention the technology grew over the period. Some entry-level jobs involving tasks like summarizing meetings or sifting through documents are particularly exposed to AI, accelerating a decline in such roles as companies streamline headcount costs. Entry-level postings, which include apprenticeships, internships or junior jobs with no degree requirements, have fallen by almost a third since ChatGPT came to market at the end of 2022, according to data from job-search website Adzuna. 'The rapid rise of artificial intelligence is adding pressure on young jobseekers, who are still in the grip of the Covid aftermath, marked by inflation, economic headwinds, and low business confidence,' said James Neave, head of data science at Adzuna. –BLOOMBERG
