Lately
the world has been talking about Artificial Intelligence and the
impact it will have upon industries in every facet of society.
When we talk about the position it will have in agriculture the
discussion usually focuses on how we can computerise the
entirety of the system. This usually involves self driving
tractors, drones, spray rigs and all the usual monoculture earth
killing systems that humanity already relies upon.
The ability for 12 year olds to ‘write’ university level essays using AI Language Models is already here. AI is already a feat of engineering. Many are using it to do nearly everything, or finding ways to insert it into whatever job they have. And why not, it's no effort at all for this bank of computers to do the most obscure work in 5 seconds that would take your average person a couple of hours, two cups of tea and a sore back.
The ability for 12 year olds to ‘write’ university level essays using AI Language Models is already here. AI is already a feat of engineering. Many are using it to do nearly everything, or finding ways to insert it into whatever job they have. And why not, it's no effort at all for this bank of computers to do the most obscure work in 5 seconds that would take your average person a couple of hours, two cups of tea and a sore back.
In many industries this power is
going to increase complexity, strength and potentially
eco-friendliness by removing that most human of traits: the
simplistic, mechanistic way of thinking; ironically provided by
a machine. The danger doesn’t actually really lie within us
using it for everything in our day to day life, like an
extension of ourselves. The danger lies in us trying to make the
natural and human systems bend to whatever the AI performs best
at. AI is already amazing at directing tractors and spraying
weeds, as it is amazing at managing smart homes and
interconnected grids. As these systems are relatively simple and
easy to automate. Allowing humans to lay back, eating sad slop,
playing video games to distract from the emptiness within, while
computers run the world. The real problem is automation.
Something from an AI perspective is actually really low hanging
fruit.
If we use it like it's an extension of ourselves like a calculator or google then it can be amazingly useful and becomes fulfilling. We need to make sure we don’t let the AI or the corporations run the show. Natural systems and processes should always be the ones in charge. We can and likely will make the AI smart enough that it will be the tool that gives us all super human abilities of observation and interaction with natural environments.
Imagine a future where the AI can be telling us, based on permaculture principles where a certain tree will grow best or where a dumping of compost is most needed. The information is based off soil tests, aspects, climate maps etc. All kinds of data a human couldn’t possibly manage in their head. It could give any farmer, council worker the ability to be a master designer. Of course, the danger lies in that the human is not doing any of the observing or interacting with the system. But I feel as long as we use it as something more akin to a GPS in your car than a boss we should be fine.
I can’t imagine a future, at least not in my life time where AI and the mechanised world would be interacting with every little thing I do on the farm. I for one will at least expect to be bare foot, planting trees or building rock walls in the creek for the rest of my life.
While AI could be the most amazing thing to ever happen to permaculture. But conversely could equally be a hellish corporate driven landscape of environmental destruction driven by humanities desire to be uninvolved. If it is the first, I will be on board with the technology all the way, so long as natural systems are allowed to grow and develop in the way they have done for millions of years. If it is the second, I will find my niche and try to create a utopia within the ruins. And I will try to bring as many of you as possible with me.
I'll leave you with a poem written by chat GPT (openai.com) prompted from the about us section on the website.
Logboy Farm, a valley vast,
With grasslands speckled, hills amassed,
And riparian zones that flow,
From Undaban Creek, to and fro.
Once a dairy and piggy land,
With crops of wheat, peanuts, grand,
But overstocked, overplowed, and cleared,
The damage of which, still appeared.
Wil and Megan took the reins,
And lowered stocking, with careful gains,
Practicing grazing, for nature's way,
And planting trees, a diverse array.
For years, they had free-range pork,
Organic, pasture-fed, a grand stork,
Marketing to cities, far and wide,
Until drought and setbacks, it subsides.
Now, a few sows and a boar,
And breeding stock, for those who soar,
Into the free-range pork industry,
Cheering them on, with empathy.
Vegetables and fruit, a three-acre feat,
Mulched and irrigated, fresh to eat,
But floods destroyed, maintenance, adieu,
Pasture system for cattle, a new view.
A permacultural plan, a design anew,
Flood and drought-proof, maintenance, too,
A more impressive, healthier system,
And fruit crops added, a new rhythm.
Olive grove, with 150 trees,
Contract pressed, oil for you and me,
A cooperative, traditional style,
A label for excellence, worth the while.
Beef, the mainstay of Logboy land,
Pastoral style, grazing by hand,
Rotational grazing, and Savory-style,
Boosting productivity, sustainable mile.
For more farm insights, come and see,
Our blog, for a deeper degree,
Logboy Farm, with nature's art,
A place where farming and earth never depart.
If we use it like it's an extension of ourselves like a calculator or google then it can be amazingly useful and becomes fulfilling. We need to make sure we don’t let the AI or the corporations run the show. Natural systems and processes should always be the ones in charge. We can and likely will make the AI smart enough that it will be the tool that gives us all super human abilities of observation and interaction with natural environments.
Imagine a future where the AI can be telling us, based on permaculture principles where a certain tree will grow best or where a dumping of compost is most needed. The information is based off soil tests, aspects, climate maps etc. All kinds of data a human couldn’t possibly manage in their head. It could give any farmer, council worker the ability to be a master designer. Of course, the danger lies in that the human is not doing any of the observing or interacting with the system. But I feel as long as we use it as something more akin to a GPS in your car than a boss we should be fine.
I can’t imagine a future, at least not in my life time where AI and the mechanised world would be interacting with every little thing I do on the farm. I for one will at least expect to be bare foot, planting trees or building rock walls in the creek for the rest of my life.
While AI could be the most amazing thing to ever happen to permaculture. But conversely could equally be a hellish corporate driven landscape of environmental destruction driven by humanities desire to be uninvolved. If it is the first, I will be on board with the technology all the way, so long as natural systems are allowed to grow and develop in the way they have done for millions of years. If it is the second, I will find my niche and try to create a utopia within the ruins. And I will try to bring as many of you as possible with me.
I'll leave you with a poem written by chat GPT (openai.com) prompted from the about us section on the website.
Logboy Farm, a valley vast,
With grasslands speckled, hills amassed,
And riparian zones that flow,
From Undaban Creek, to and fro.
Once a dairy and piggy land,
With crops of wheat, peanuts, grand,
But overstocked, overplowed, and cleared,
The damage of which, still appeared.
Wil and Megan took the reins,
And lowered stocking, with careful gains,
Practicing grazing, for nature's way,
And planting trees, a diverse array.
For years, they had free-range pork,
Organic, pasture-fed, a grand stork,
Marketing to cities, far and wide,
Until drought and setbacks, it subsides.
Now, a few sows and a boar,
And breeding stock, for those who soar,
Into the free-range pork industry,
Cheering them on, with empathy.
Vegetables and fruit, a three-acre feat,
Mulched and irrigated, fresh to eat,
But floods destroyed, maintenance, adieu,
Pasture system for cattle, a new view.
A permacultural plan, a design anew,
Flood and drought-proof, maintenance, too,
A more impressive, healthier system,
And fruit crops added, a new rhythm.
Olive grove, with 150 trees,
Contract pressed, oil for you and me,
A cooperative, traditional style,
A label for excellence, worth the while.
Beef, the mainstay of Logboy land,
Pastoral style, grazing by hand,
Rotational grazing, and Savory-style,
Boosting productivity, sustainable mile.
For more farm insights, come and see,
Our blog, for a deeper degree,
Logboy Farm, with nature's art,
A place where farming and earth never depart.