How to (Practically) Implement AI in Your Greenhouse Business
The Horticultural Research Institute’s (HRI) Leadership Academy, which was first launched in 2022, is not just about emerging industry leaders getting together to network and learn from each year. Each year, members of the HRI Leadership Academy are also tasked with projects to tackle, ideally something designed to help other growers become more efficient.
Some members of the 2024 Leadership Academy chose to address a topic that has arguably been an abstract and somewhat confusing concept for too long: artificial intelligence (AI). With the non-objectively awesome group name of “Control-Plant-Delete,” the team’s findings (presented during a panel at Cultivate’24) are also a good example of how technology isn’t always about a shiny new gadget. It should also be about finding new ways to complete tasks that are far too often put aside because they can be a time crunch.
Boosting Productivity
According to Jennifer Moss, CEO of Idaho-based Moss Greenhouses and a member of the Leadership Academy class of 2024, the group wanted to focus on how AI could be a game-changer in boosting efficiency. Specifically, they targeted AI implementation at the business management level.
“We wanted to look at the efficiency, precision, and cost-saving benefits of AI, as well as the risks and rewards of using it,” says Moss. “We interviewed people from across the industry and found that AI can boost productivity by 40% for administrative tasks while increasing business productivity by 20% to 30%.”
Aside from the fact AI can process data thousands of times faster than humans, Moss notes that it can also help improve remote collaboration — a key concern for operations with multiple locations — and help increase overall job opportunities.
How AI Can Be Your Co-Pilot
John Terhesh, Vice President of Breezy Hill Nursery in Wisconsin and a fellow HRI Leadership Academy class of 2024 member, offered some of the group’s key findings from its research:
While much of the focus on AI so far has been on how it can improve blue-collar jobs, it is just as effective for white-collar jobs. “White-collar work involves a lot of repetitive tasks that no one likes to do,” Terhesh says. “The days of this manual, time-consuming work will hopefully soon be eliminated, allowing employees to focus on high-value activities they like doing.” Remember that stat earlier about a 30% increase in productivity? Terhesh notes that the invention of the steam engine increased worker productivity by roughly the same amount, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research.
AI can be a co-pilot to enhance human capabilities, but it should not be considered a replacement for jobs or people. Rather, Terhesh says, employees who use AI might eventually replace those who don’t.
Artificial intelligence works best at a task level. It helps you look at specific tasks such as data analysis from large data sets. This addresses a critical need in horticulture: more resources to help you make informed decisions based on the data you are collecting.
Successful implementation of AI requires a cultural shift within your organization. “The success among young people using AI can serve as a catalyst for the future,” Terhesh says. “You can use them to train employees not using AI.”
The industry leaders of tomorrow will be the ones who foster the evolution of AI. “As a leader, you need to either teach or learn from your younger employees how AI can be a good fit,” Terhesh advises. “You’ll quickly learn that AI can help you continually refine your approaches.”
Pitfalls to Ponder
While there are clear benefits to using AI, there are also some challenges during implementation that you’ll want to avoid. Eric McKie, owner of Green Oak Garden Center in Mississippi, outlined a few of them:
- New users may want to use AI too much like a simple Google search, but using it this way will likely lead to simplified results.
- AI is generally safe and easy to use, but it does increase exposure to cyber threats, so make sure you’re protected.
- Copyright regulations can be an issue when using AI. Get consent from your employees if you plan to use their images in marketing.
- Don’t upload things to an artificial intelligence platform that you’re not OK with sharing, or consider using pseudonyms for names.
- Make sure the data going in is clean (we’ve all heard the phrase “garbage in, garbage out.”). This is also why it’s important to have someone review the output from AI to make sure it is accurate.
- Technology such as AI is, realistically, only a faster version of your existing systems and protocols.
- Monitor when anyone on your team seems like they are resistant to using AI. To spin the situation, ask them what parts of their job they dislike, and see if AI can solve it for them.
- Don’t get overly reliant on AI. “Don’t train for the technology, use the technology to train yourself better,” McKie says.
Best Practices
So, what are some of the practical ways you can adapt content-assisting AI tools? As a group, the team recommends (and demonstrated during their Cultivate presentation) quite a few possibilities, including:
- Writing a policy on heat stroke.
- Developing an e-commerce program.
- Compiling an employee training manual.
Moss offers some overall best practices:
- Start small.
- Train your team thoroughly.
- Focus on your most robust data.
- Monitor and adjust how you use AI as necessary.
- Don’t just openly trust everything AI gives you. Have a process for editing.
Note: This article was originally published on GreenhouseGrower.com, our sister brand.