Automation and artificial intelligence have firmly found a home in the ag industry, but there is concern about technology taking jobs.
Robotic analysts say that will never be the goal.
“I believe very firmly that automation should never be about getting rid of people, because when that is the focus, we tend to make bad decisions. Automation should be about supercharging human labor. We should empower people to be more productive and to do things better. With the resources they have available, that’s the goal. I don’t need this robot to be perfect. I don’t need this robot to do everything. Why? Because it doesn’t have to do it by itself. It’s going to be a companion to human workers. It’s going to help them just like the tractor did. Just like all kinds of technology helps humans to be more productive,” said Daniel Theobald.
Automation was a major sticking point during labor negotiations at U.S. ports earlier this year. Those discussions are still happening, and the situation could get tense in the coming weeks. The current contract expires in January, and union officials have said they will reject all automation advancements.
