OTTAWA— Robots milk cows and sweep manure in the barn and now the next big machine revolution is here. Artificial intelligence — something like a robotic mind with uncanny and amazing human-like abilities to communicate— made its biggest splash when ChatGPT debuted last November. And apparently, it knows more about farming than you do.
ChatGPT is a ‘chatbot’ but unlike the typically online chatbots tied to company websites that spit out pre-canned answers to common customer questions, this new technology responds to user questions, accurately and quickly, almost as though written by a human, but without grammatical or spelling errors. In fact, it is impossible to tell that a human did not write the answer.
Created by OpenAI, a private company in San Francisco and co-founded by Elon Musk, the system is not perfect but still seems right out of Star Trek (and already has an otherworldly market value estimated at $29 billion after amassing one million users just five days after launch).
In seconds, the artificially intelligent ChatGPT can churn out original essays, poetry and scientific papers — and agricultural advice, as it turns out — to anyone who cares to ask.
Winchester-based crop consultant Gilles Quesnel recently queried the system about the best cover crop options after harvesting winter wheat in Ontario. The reply was a crisp bulleted list advising (backed up with reasons) oats, annual ryegrass, crimson clover, winter peas and buckwheat. The robotic-mind concluded by saying, “It is also important to consult with a local agricultural extension agent or a soil expert to determine which cover crop will work best for your specific situation.”