The artificial intelligence revolution in the field

For decades, the evolution of agriculture has been linked to mechanization. Subsequently, equipment evolved through software and more comprehensive precision agriculture solutions, combined with connectivity. Now, we are entering a new phase of this journey: the age of artificial intelligence.

What we are experiencing in the field today goes far beyond the adoption of new technology. It is a profound transformation in the way we produce food, fiber, and biofuels, at a time when global challenges demand that we be more efficient and sustainable at the same time.

Agriculture has always had to deal with limited resources: water, soil, labor, fuel, and increasingly scarce inputs. In this context, the ability to transform data into decisions has become one of the main competitive advantages for rural producers.

With the advancement of artificial intelligence, agriculture is entering a new phase. While machines previously only performed tasks, they are now capable of processing data, identifying patterns, and supporting real-time decision-making. In many applications, these technologies already perform actions autonomously, increasing the efficiency and precision of agricultural activities.

At John Deere, this vision is at the heart of our innovation strategy. Our work goes far beyond manufacturing machines: we integrate equipment, connectivity, automation, artificial intelligence, and digital platforms to support smarter management of agricultural operations. The key difference in this new era is not replacing people, but enhancing their decision-making capacity. The producer remains at the center of everything, now supported by technologies capable of transforming data into knowledge and knowledge into action.

That's precisely the role of the John Deere Operations Center. The platform acts as the management center for agricultural operations, integrating information from machines, implements, agronomic data, operations, and partners into a single digital environment. By consolidating this information, the solution allows producers and managers to have a more complete view of the business, supporting the planning, execution, and monitoring of activities in real time. In a scenario of high costs and increasingly tight margins, the ability to transform data into faster and more assertive decisions can generate significant gains in productivity and profitability.

Another example is the See & Spray system, which combines high-resolution cameras, artificial intelligence, and computer vision to identify weeds during application. The technology performs targeted spraying only where needed, reducing pesticide consumption, operational costs, and environmental impact.

In sugarcane cultivation, connectivity, data analysis, and artificial intelligence are also playing an increasingly strategic role. Solutions like Harvest Monitor offer real-time visibility into key harvest indicators, allowing for tracking machine performance, operational quality, and the consistency of information generated in the field.

CaneAdvisor expands this capability by continuously monitoring indicators such as productivity, plant impurity levels, operational performance, and fuel consumption per ton harvested.

Based on this data, the solution automatically adjusts harvester parameters to find the best balance between harvest quality, operational efficiency, and loss reduction.

In the S7 series combines, Predictive Speed ​​Automation represents another step forward in this journey. Using sensors, high-resolution cameras, and advanced algorithms, the system analyzes crop conditions even before the machine harvests, automatically adjusting the working speed to maximize productivity and operational efficiency. In other words, instead of just reacting to what is happening, the machine anticipates what is to come.

An important aspect of this transformation is that it doesn't depend exclusively on acquiring new equipment. Through solutions like Precision Upgrades, many producers can incorporate advanced technologies into machines already in their fleet, accelerating the digitization of operations and expanding access to innovation. However, to fully realize the potential of these technologies and artificial intelligence, we still need to make progress on a fundamental issue: rural connectivity.

In Brazil, a significant portion of rural properties still faces challenges related to access to quality internet. This limitation reduces the ability to connect equipment, share data in real time, and capture the full value generated by digital technologies. Therefore, initiatives aimed at expanding digital infrastructure in the countryside play a strategic role in accelerating the technological transformation of Brazilian agriculture. In this sense, John Deere has been working on solutions such as JDLink Boost, developed in partnership with Starlink, expanding connectivity possibilities in rural areas and allowing more producers to access the benefits of connected agriculture, creating the necessary conditions for the full adoption and use of technologies and artificial intelligence in the field.

Looking ahead, the next major milestone in this evolution will be the consolidation of autonomous machines. Today, tractors, sprayers, and harvesters already have high levels of automation, performing various tasks with minimal human intervention and supporting operators in the pursuit of greater precision, efficiency, and productivity. The next step is to expand this capability to increasingly autonomous operations, in which equipment will be able to perform field activities independently, while producers and managers monitor and supervise all the work remotely. In this scenario, the role of people shifts focus: from operating machines to concentrating on planning, management, and strategic decision-making.

The advancement of artificial intelligence shows that agriculture is entering a new era, in which machines, data, and people work in an increasingly integrated way. Producers who lead this transformation will not only increase productivity or reduce costs, but will build more resilient, sustainable operations, prepared for the challenges of the coming decades. Because, ultimately, the future of agriculture will not be defined solely by the technology we adopt, but by the ability to transform information into smarter decisions to produce more, with fewer resources, and in a more sustainable way.

* By Vinicius Fonseca, Precision Agriculture Manager for John Deere in Latin America