AI-Based Farm Equipment May Increase Worker Safety But Cost Jobs

The rise of autonomous and artificial intelligence-aided farm machinery promises to improve safety for agricultural workers, but the change will likely come with the loss of jobs and unfamiliar challenges for workplace regulators.

The new technology includes self-guided tractors, autonomous pesticide sprayers, and towed equipment that can decide whether a plant sprout is a valuable crop or a pesty dandelion.

The automated equipment can improve safety by removing operators from hazardous tasks, such as towing a pesticide sprayer, and reduces how many people are needed for hot-weather, labor-intensive tasks like weeding.

“If you can substitute a worker ...