AI Revolution in Agriculture at NC State

NC State University Leverages AI for Agricultural Advancements
RALEIGH, N.C. — The N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative (N.C. PSI) at NC State University is spearheading efforts to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into agriculture to boost yields, efficiency, and sustainability. Central to this initiative are two new tools: BenchBot 3.0, a robot designed to capture hundreds of thousands of plant photos, and the powerful NVIDIA Grace Hopper 200 supercomputer.
Key Highlights:

• BenchBot 3.0: This robot is positioned on NC State’s Centennial Campus, set to take half a million plant photos to contribute to the world’s largest open-source agricultural image repository. This data will help develop AI tools for farmers to make informed decisions about crop management.
• NVIDIA Grace Hopper 200: A supercomputer capable of processing five terabytes of data per second, it will analyze the extensive image data collected, aiding in the development of AI applications for agriculture.
• Precision Agriculture: The initiative aims to enhance precision farming, where farmers can apply resources like fertilizers and pesticides more accurately, reducing waste and environmental impact.
• Agricultural Innovations: AI is already being used in self-driving tractors, water management, and crop rotation. New tools are in development to map herbicide-resistant weeds and optimize the use of cover crops.
• Collaborative Efforts: N.C. PSI is working on various AI-powered projects, including AI applications for soybean planting and sweetpotato sorting.
  Future Prospects:
• The collected images and AI advancements will help overcome existing bottlenecks in precision farming, enabling farmers to manage fields more effectively.
• The Grace Hopper supercomputer will support interdisciplinary research, providing more accurate and predictive models to tackle complex agricultural challenges.
• With the rising global food demand and changing climate conditions, these advancements are crucial for sustainable agricultural practices.
  Conclusion:
  NC State University’s N.C. PSI is at the forefront of integrating AI into agriculture, promising significant advancements in precision farming and sustainable practices. The combination of BenchBot 3.0 and the Grace Hopper supercomputer positions the university as a leader in agricultural innovation, addressing the needs of both farmers and the global population.