Peter Gittins: Starlink and generative AI are ag game changers
Peter Gittins © Peter Gittins The pace of technological change and the impact it’s already having on farming is incredible.
Two innovations stand out to me as genuinely groundbreaking and useful: Starlink satellite broadband and generative artificial intelligence (AI).
Until last year, like many others, I was limping along with internet speeds as low as 1Mbps.
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Trying to upload a file, attend a virtual meeting, or even browse websites was painful on our upland farm.
Then I joined a new provider, Starlink, one of Elon Musk’s innovations run through his aerospace company SpaceX.
Now I regularly get speeds of 200-300 Mbps, faster than many urban homes.
Starlink has its conditions: you need a clear view of the sky, a reliable power supply, and the willingness to pay about £75 a month, which is considerably more expensive than most providers.
But whether it’s signing up for subsidy schemes, moving cattle online, selling direct to consumers, running precision software, or even becoming a “FarmTok” sensation, a reliable connection is everything.
Crucially, it removes one of the biggest constraints that has held rural businesses back for years: poor connectivity.
Some may need to set aside their personal views about Musk to use the service, but in practical terms it’s a game-changer for the countryside.
The second digital tool is generative AI, best known through models such as ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini and DeepSeek.
I’ve been working on an academic paper exploring the challenges and opportunities this presents for UK agriculture.
Practically, I find these tools especially useful for navigating the complex world of farming policy and subsidies – for example, sifting through the 170-page Sustainable Farming Incentive document.
These tools let you input your farm details, upload existing agreements and explore different scheme options.
With newer versions, you can even speak to them or show them documents or photos.
As long as you can come up with a good question, you can often get a good response.
These tools can provide instant, low-cost (often free) advice tailored to your situation.
They’re not perfect yet, and you still need to double-check what they say, but it’s an astonishing step forward.