The Cornell Institute for Digital Agriculture (CIDA) hosted its annual workshop on October 21 at the Statler Hotel on Cornell University’s campus, gathering a diverse group of stakeholders to explore the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and agriculture. The event brought together faculty, students, industry partners, and stakeholders from various Cornell colleges, including the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science, and Cornell Engineering.
The day-long workshop featured project updates, networking opportunities, and a keynote address by Aidan Connolly, who delved into the transformative potential of AI in food systems. Connolly painted a picture of a future where AI not only manages but also designs farms, optimizing production, supply chains, and resource use to bolster global food security. This vision underscores the event’s central theme: the fusion of data, technology, and interdisciplinary research to address pressing challenges in sustainable agriculture and production.
Dr. Renata Ivanek, co-director of CIDA and professor of epidemiology at Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine, set the tone for the day with her opening remarks. She emphasized the importance of creating a collaborative ecosystem where experts from veterinary medicine, computer science, law, and ethics can come together to foster AI-driven innovation in agriculture and animal health.
CIDA’s mission is to build a dynamic community that collaborates to create efficient and sustainable food systems. The workshop highlighted several initiatives that embody this mission, including the Cornell Agricultural Systems Testbed (CAST) and the upcoming AI4AG program. These initiatives aim to integrate data from field and livestock systems to develop AI tools that are “farm-ready,” directly improving productivity and sustainability.
Other notable projects discussed included the Center for Research on Programmable Plant Systems (CROPPS), which enables plants to signal their nutritional needs through programmable sensors, and NASA ACRES, which applies remote sensing and hyperspectral imaging to enhance soil and crop modeling. The NSF-funded AI LEAF institute is developing decision-support tools for climate-smart farming, while Grow-NY is catalyzing ag-tech startups that use AI for precision management and sustainability.
The CIDA Research Innovation Fund was also a focal point of the workshop. This fund provides seed support for collaborative research that advances digital agriculture through novel projects. Presentations highlighted innovative approaches such as repurposing agricultural byproducts for a sustainable circular bioeconomy, scaling up digital agriculture in Africa, and optimizing real-time agricultural decision-making through advanced computing.
The summit concluded with the Industry Thought Summit, featuring short talks from keynote speaker Connolly and David Erickson from Cornell Engineering. The session provided opportunities for attendees to engage in a moderated discussion, exchanging ideas and questions with the speakers.
Hakim Weatherspoon, co-director of CIDA and professor of computer science, emphasized the unique ecosystem that CIDA fosters. By bringing together Cornell centers and industry leaders, CIDA accelerates innovation that has both local and global impact. The workshop underscored the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in driving forward the future of digital agriculture.