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“Dead or alive, you’re coming with me,” said RoboCop.
Okay, so this article isn’t about the 80s movie with the unnecessary remake that I didn’t watch, but I get the same deadly vibe the more I learn about RoboCrops. That’s not the official name, of course. Instead, they’re calling it “robot-assisted farming,” but the implication is the same for doomsday watchers.
The robots in question are driven by Artificial Intelligence. They have lasers. Yes, lasers. And they’re rapidly becoming the go-to “labor” force for farms across the globe. Why? Because they never need a lunch break, rarely call in sick, and are as precise as their AI brains allow them to be.
It reminds me of an important line from the original Terminator. “It can’t be bargained with, it can’t be reasoned with, it doesn’t feel pity or remorse or fear, and it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead.”
Movie references aside, the rise of AI-powered farming equipment is concerning because of where it will lead. As they demonstrate how effective the equipment is, there will eventually be the desire to take the human factor out of the equation altogether. It makes sense to those who don’t fear AI because if the machines are not only doing the work but controlling how the work is done, crop yields will be increased dramatically.
At least, they will until they aren’t and by that time it will be too late. But now is not the time to give a bad idea to the wrong people. I’ll leave the risks of such developments up to the imagination. For now, let’s just look at the news wire report and you can decide for yourself whether this is a good idea or not.
Agriculture Adapts to Labor Shortage with AI-Powered Farming Robots
Over the past 70 years, agriculture has witnessed a decline in its workforce as successive generations turned away from family farming businesses. However, the need for increased food production, projected by the United Nations to grow by 60 percent to feed the global population by 2050, has pushed the industry to explore innovative solutions. With major producers like the US struggling to find agricultural labor, farming practices must evolve to meet the growing demand.
Walt Duflock, Vice President of Innovation at Western Growers, a crop growers’ association in the western US, highlights the significant gap between the labor required in agriculture and the labor currently available. He believes that automation is the only solution to bridge this gap.
Farmers are now embracing modern AI-powered farming robots, replacing traditional machinery, to handle tasks that previously relied on human labor. One such example is the Naïo Oz Farming Assistant, a robot designed for hoeing, weeding, furrow-making, seeding, and transportation. These robotic farmhands are already in use across 48 countries, with nearly 150 units deployed.
In addition to a growing number of AgTech startups, established manufacturers like Naïo and Burro have sold hundreds of robots. Stout Industrial Technology, which introduced its Smart Cultivator in 2020, is also moving in the same direction. Their cultivator, attached to a tractor, uses computer vision and AI to precisely control mechanical blades, effectively turning over soil, eliminating weeds, and sparing crops. Stout’s approach focuses on building multipurpose farming machines that become more valuable as AI technology advances.
Dr. George Kantor, a field robotics expert from Carnegie Mellon University, supports this approach, emphasizing the need for machines that can be used across tasks and crops, rather than creating specialized machines for each application. While autonomous tractors have been in use for years, new models like the Monarch Electric Tractor are designed to operate unmanned, with a driver being optional. These battery-powered tractors incorporate 360° cameras accessible via software, allowing farm workers to manage fleets remotely.
One of the most advanced innovations in the field is the Laserweeder developed by Carbon Robotics. This robot uses high-resolution cameras and computer vision software to differentiate between weeds and crops, precisely targeting and eliminating weeds with lasers. Though priced at $1.4 million, it can eliminate 200,000 weeds per hour, making it a popular choice among growers facing labor shortages.
Agricultural technology companies are also developing solutions for tasks such as weeding and thinning out crops. While harvesting remains a more complex challenge, these technologies are expected to be refined within the next decade. Implementing these advanced farming technologies may come with higher upfront costs for farms, but they can reduce reliance on temporary workers, which often incurs additional expenses for housing and transportation under government visa schemes.
Despite initial concerns about job displacement, the adoption of robotic systems in agriculture may lead to a transformation of the workforce. Rather than replacing jobs, these technologies have the potential to create fewer but more skilled and better-paid positions. Walt Duflock anticipates that immigrant farm labor will continue to play a significant role on farms in the next decade, alongside robots that enhance workers’ capabilities and enable them to focus on valuable tasks.
Mysterious “Skyquakes” Are Causing Strange “Booms” in the Sky, and Scientists Have No Explanation
by Michael Snyder
(End of the American Dream)—What is causing the extremely loud “booms” that people are hearing in the sky all over the world? We are being told that “skyquakes” are responsible, but scientists have no idea why these “skyquakes” are occurring. In some cases, the “skyquakes” cause such powerful shaking that…
The Biggest Sale on Long-Term Storage Beef EVER
by Sponsored Post
Let’s cut to the chase. Prepper All-Naturals is offering an unprecedented 40% off for it’s “Beef Steak” survival bags with promo code “steak40”. With a 25-year shelf life and a single ingredient (beef, of course), our most popular product is available for a very limited time with the biggest discount…
Seattle Is Ordered to Stop Blocking Illegal Alien Deportations in the Most Hilarious Court Decision Ever
by PJ Media
A federal court has just pooped in the oatmeal of the West Coast, Messed Coast™governors and local election officials suffering from acute cases of Trump Derangement Syndrome who think they can stop illegal alien deportations. And after this hilarious and thorough legal takedown from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals,…
Illegal Alien Terror Suspect Found Dead in Cook County Jail Cell
by Slay News
An Islamic illegal alien has been found dead in his jail cell after being arrested on terrorism charges. According to CWBChicago, 22-year-old Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi was found dead at the Cook County jail in Illinois on Saturday. Abdallahi was arrested on felony terrorism and hate crime charges in October. He…
Trump’s Wild Bunch Is Ready for Action
by Frank Miele
If for no other reason than that it will elicit fear in the hearts of autocracy-phobics, I propose that Donald Trump’s second-term Cabinet be known as “The Wild Bunch.” The name is best known as the title of Sam Peckinpah’s classic 1969 western featuring a colorful cast of aging outlaws…
FAA Issues Flight Restrictions Over Questionable Drone Activity Near Trump’s Bedminster Golf Course
by Just The News
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Tuesday said that it has issued two flight restrictions on the area surrounding President-elect Donald Trump’s Bedminster golf club in New Jersey, following questionable drone activity. The drone sightings were first reported on Nov. 18, but have continued into this week, according to Fox…
Ex-FBI Agent Convicted for Stealing From Jan 6 Defendant During Raid
by Trending Politics
A former Houston-based FBI agent has been convicted of stealing valuables and cash while conducting searches. In one instance, the agent stole cash and silver bars from a non-violent January 6 defendant’s home. Nicholas Anthony Williams, 36, was indicted on January 31 in the Southern District of Texas. Williams, who…
Democrats, Media Elite Urge Biden to Pardon Trump’s Alleged ‘Enemies List’
by Breitbart
President Joe Biden should issue preemptive pardons to his political allies and those deemed to be on President-elect Donald Trump’s alleged “enemies list,” Democrats and their media allies believe. Delivering a preemptive pardon indicates an admission of guilt, although Democrats claim a preemptive pardon would only be intended to block…
Fani Willis Forced to Release All Communications With Jack Smith, J6 Committee
by Trending Politics
The Fulton County Superior Court has ruled against District Attorney Fani Willis, ordering her to disclose communications with Special Counsel Jack Smith and the House January 6 Committee. The decision, announced on Tuesday, follows a lawsuit brought by Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group, which accused Willis of violating Georgia’s…
Lindsey Graham Is the Warmongering NeoCon Leading the Charge to Upend Pete Hegseth
by JD Rucker
Pete Hegseth represents a shift away from the wokeness that has infected the United States military. This is possibly the biggest reason President-Elect Donald Trump tapped him to be the next Secretary of Defense and the vast majority of Republicans on Capitol Hill can support this, at least for the…
‘Where Are Black Democrats?’: Charles Payne Tells Personal Story to Call Out ‘Huge Double Standard’ of Biden Family
by Nicole Silverio, DCNF
(DCNF)—Fox Business host Charles Payne called out the alleged “huge double standard” of President Joe Biden’s family Tuesday by revealing that his brother, who struggles with a crack addiction, is currently serving a jail sentence. Payne said his brother, who is getting out of jail on Friday, is likely one…
Zelensky Admits Ukraine Can’t Retake All Its Land: ‘We Must Seek Diplomatic Means’
by Breitbart
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky conceded in an interview on Tuesday that Ukraine does not have “enough forces” to restore sovereignty over Russian-occupied Crimea and “must seek diplomatic means” to end the Russian invasion and regain its land. The state-run Ukrinform outlet reported that Zelensky described Crimea – which Russia colonized…
Ultra-Processed Foods: How Bad Are They for Your Health?
by Olivia Cook
(Natural News)—Despite the serious health risks associated with eating junk food, they remain the most consumed food products in many countries, particularly developed ones. But a review published in The BMJ, which studied 9.8 million people, warns that eating a lot of ultra-processed foods can increase your risk for 32 diseases. Among these are heart…
“Already Pretty Far Down the Line”: The Container Store Could File for Bankruptcy as Soon as Next Year
by Tyler Durden, Zero Hedge
(Zero Hedge)—As the retail apocalypse that started with Amazon and e-commerce continues, the latest victim is The Container Store. The retail giant could file for bankruptcy as soon as next year, according to the New York Post, who said the retailer is blaming its recent descent on “a weak housing…
Mysterious ‘Car-Sized Drones’ Over New Jersey Prompt FBI Investigation
by Zero Hedge
Several weeks of mysterious drone swarms over the skies of one New Jersey county near the military research and manufacturing facility Picatinny Arsenal have sparked concerns among residents and prompted an FBI investigation. “It’s kind of unsettling,” Mike Walsh, a Morris County resident who has spotted the drones on numerous…
UNESCO’s New Mission: Train Influencers About Combatting Online “Misinformation”
by Reclaim the Net
The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is now incorporating teaching influencers how to “fact check” into its activities. UNESCO claims that influencers have become “primary sources of news and cultural information” around the world – which prompted it to carry out a survey into how these online personalities…
