Advancements in technological innovations make headlines daily. With the increasing digitization of agricultural technologies positioned as a solution for feeding a growing population, it is important to know what is being discussed, and what is being left out of the conversation, when technological innovations are discussed among the public.
Katie Sanders, Kennedy Mayfield-Smith, and Alexa Lamm, science communication researchers in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication at the University of Georgia, recently published their work in Sustainability exploring discourse related to the use of artificial intelligence in agriculture on Twitter. Results showed that Twitter users discussing AI in agriculture on the platform presented an overwhelmingly positive view of the technologies, exhibiting pro-innovation bias or techno-optimism. The researchers proposed that using a systems thinking approach, or anticipating the consequences of an innovation across social, cultural, political, environmental, economic, and behavioral consequences could improve the public’s reception of the innovation, as well as the sustainability of the innovation across contexts. The authors argue that scientists should be aware of the on-going conversations surrounding their innovations to more responsibly develop agricultural technologies and limit the unintended consequences of the innovations after they are introduced to the public, as well as improve the public’s perception of these technologies.
Some of the topics of conversation surrounding AI in agriculture on Twitter included:
- precision agriculture and digital technology innovation
- transformation and the future of agriculture
- accelerate solutions, solve challenges
- data management and accessibility
- transforming crop management
- prioritizing adoption
- AI and sustainability
Conducting public discourse analysis over time may help to predict backlash against any innovation that may be introduced to the public, and, when combined with the systems thinking approach, improve the system-level sustainability of innovations prior to dissemination.
Click here to read the peer-reviewed publication!
