First, were you a fan of the Terminator movies starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. If writing an article about farming with a reference to the famous body builder, turned actor, turned politician was on my bucket list, I can now check that one off.
I have considered venting in this bi-weekly column about some things that I find reprehensible. In my last article I asked if a stubborn 60-year-old man of German lineage can change. After having to admit that I will not perish if I eat mayonnaise, I decided to try another big change with my farming methods.
For my entire farming career, I have only made small square bales of hay and straw. With close to 1.4 million bales made in my lifetime and an aging infrastructure, machinery and body, I was curious to see if perhaps there was a different way I could be baling my hay and marketing it to my customers. With one last field of first cutting left to bale I made the plunge into unchartered waters.
I decided I would make large square bales of hay weighing about 700 pounds for the first time ever. I hired a custom operator to bale my field for me. How much labor would I save? How would I market this new bale package? Who would be my buyers? Is this the future of hay making on my farm? I thought this would be a good topic for my article.
I was wrong. After several mistakes handling the new bale size and drawing some conclusions with an emphasis on trying to avoid confirmation bias, I realized that I cannot give my fruits of my labor away. The results of my experiment taught me much, but I now believe I should keep my findings to myself. Which brings me to my disdain for the development of AI, artificial intelligence.
First, I must admit I know very little about AI and struggle with computer technology. I believe much of my adult life I have been a student of the famous “school of hard knocks.” In reference to my comment about changing my opinion or way of farming I believe I have always tried to use my brain and all the experiences and information I can gather to make smart decisions on my farm.
Now, it is almost impossible to read any article or listen to any broadcast about anything, without a mention of Artificial intelligence. Is this really the future? Is this the end of sweat equity? Does this make anyone with sufficient money and computer skills the ability to outcompete almost any hard worker? Is this the beginning of the machines/computers becoming aware that humans are the virus on this planet, and they will soon rise-up through AI technology and try to take over the world like in the Terminator movie?
On the other hand, I would not have to do experiments like I recently did with the large bales. I can employ AI to tell me what to do. Wait, maybe AI can write my article. Now I am confused. Is AI good or bad?
This article is now done, before my computer attacks me, I am going to use it to look for a German Shepherd dog, just in case. Remember, the dogs were able to sniff out the cyborgs and alert the resistance fighters in the movie.
But then again, maybe AI can train the cyborgs to stack my hay bales. I am so conflicted. Stay tuned, “I’ll be back.”
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