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Artificial intelligence to help growers assess hurricane crop damage

The Brief University of Florida scientists are developing new technology using artificial intelligence (AI) to make assessing crop damage after hurricanes faster and easier. Farmers will be able to get answers about their fields and crops by interacting with an AI assistant through a chat-based interface that will eventually work with smartphones and computers. TAMPA - University of Florida scientists are developing new technology using artificial intelligence (AI) to make assessing crop damage after hurricanes faster and easier. Imagine you're a farmer, and, unfortunately, a hurricane has just come through: How do you assess crop damage? Right now, it might be through surveys, field visits, and drones. But wouldn't it be easier, and faster, if you could just ask your phone or computer: What percentage of my field is damaged? That's the kind of technology scientists at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) are working on right now. "The system is like ChatGPT combined with some maps," Nikos Tziolas, a faculty member at the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, said. Dig deeper Known as the Gaia Bot, farmers interact with an AI assistant through a chat-based interface by typing in questions about their crops and fields. "We just ask if my crops look healthy," Tziolas explained while showing FOX 13 an example. "And in real time, (the AI system) generates this map." OTHER NEWS: Higher rain chances for Bay Area on Thursday, more heavy rain possible for July 4th Farmers type in simple questions and also respond when asked for more information about their fields and crops. Then the conversational AI system analyzes satellite imagery, weather information, and soil maps developed in UF labs before responding. "The system automatically retrieves this data without any experience from the user," Tziolas added. By quickly generating maps and data for specific fields, this technology – which is funded by a USDA-National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant -- can help tell farmers which areas saw the most flooding and how their crops are looking before and after a storm. What's next UF/IFAS scientists expect this technology to be available to farmers at no cost later this hurricane season in the fall. Agricultural losses can be costly after hurricanes. UF estimates the state saw up to $640 million in agricultural damage during Milton. The Source FOX 13's Ariel Plasencia gathered the information for this story.