Confidence and skills gaps holding back farm AI uptake

A lack of confidence, limited training and uncertainty over the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) could be preventing farming businesses from making the most of the technology.

Speaking during a Farmers Weekly Women in Agriculture Network webinar, Four Cymru managing director Amelia Stevens said women could face an additional barrier because they felt greater pressure to prove their professional competence.

See also: How an AI agent helped a farmer beat the SFI deadline

“I think that as a woman – I’ll speak from my own experience – you always feel like you’ve got a lot more to prove and substantiate,” she said.

Using AI to assist with tasks they already understood could feel “like you’re cheating or that you’re bypassing the rules of the game”.

Ms Stevens referred to research suggesting women had historically been more reluctant than men to use AI professionally.

“I think there’s a difference to people using it to substantiate what they already know,” she said.

Unlocking potential

Ceres Rural agronomist and farming consultant Louise Penn said a significant obstacle was that some farmers simply did not realise what AI could already do.

She recalled helping a farmer use ChatGPT to summarise environmental scheme requirements, rather than waiting for her to prepare the information.

When she returned two weeks later, he had begun experimenting with several other applications.

“I think that we somehow need to try to transfer those skills over to farmers, and that’s definitely something I’m trying to do with my clients,” she said.

Using AI to organise workloads, draft emails and simplify complicated information could reduce time spent on administrative tasks, though Ms Penn questioned whether greater efficiency would necessarily improve working lives.

“In our work lives, AI makes us more efficient. But then, you know, it’s just the nature of work. We’ll just then do more. We’ll be expecting to do more,” she said.

She also warned against becoming overly dependent on technology at the expense of independent judgement.

“I don’t want to always default to AI for everything,” she said, stressing the importance of retaining the ability to think critically, analyse information and solve problems independently.

Access to training and resources was another concern.

Ms Penn said larger agricultural businesses were already investing in AI to improve management decisions, while smaller farms often lacked the time, money or skills to explore similar opportunities.

“I do think there is probably a lack in the industry of skilling up those people who are interested, but maybe don’t have masses of time or money to put into learning how to use those AI tools to improve their business,” she said.

Starting small

For farmers starting out, Ms Stevens recommended identifying one time-consuming task rather than attempting to master multiple AI platforms.

“Focusing on one dull task is the key for anybody who’s new to their journey, and treat it as a sort of fast assistant that can be wrong,” she said.

She also urged caution over confidential information, warning: “I’ll never put anything in that can’t leave the business or is confidential.”

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