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The term "AI" has become one of the most popular buzzwords in technology. Every week, it seems like another company is making an announcement about how they’ve adopted AI to revolutionise their product. But as someone who works in the rural tech sector, I urge Kiwi farmers to approach these claims with a healthy dose of scepticism.
The reality is that many of these announcements are just marketing. Flashy bells and whistles designed to attract attention, rather than real, material improvements to the product. The hype around AI often obscures the fact that many companies are chasing trends rather than delivering value. Farmers should question why a company is suddenly touting AI - was it integrated thoughtfully over time, or is it a quick add-onto ride the AI wave?
To be frank, a lot of what gets called AI today often boils down to a company simply repurposing an existing large language model. Sure, it might look impressive at a glance, but does it measurably improve the user’s ability to make decisions or boost productivity?That’s the question we need to ask.
Genuine AI innovation requires years of refinement, practical application, and a deep understanding of user needs; something that can’t be achieved overnight or through marketing gimmicks. The risk for business owners, including farmers, is investing in tools that promise much but fall short when it comes to improving productivity or profitability.
At Farm Focus, we’ve been leveraging AI -though we never used the term at the time - for years to deliver real, practical benefits to farmers. For example, our machine-learning-powered receipt scanning feature accurately extracts key information from farmers’ receipts and inputs it into the system automatically. No manual entry required.This is AI in action, quietly working behind the scenes to save farmers time and hassle. It’s not shiny or trendy, but it works - and our customers appreciate that.
That’s the standard we hold ourselves to when developing new features or capabilities. Whether it involves AI or more traditional product development, our north star is simple: will this actually help farmers? If the answer is no, we don’t pursue it.
Looking ahead, we’re excited about the potential for AI to enhance on-farm productivity and financial performance in meaningful ways. For example, dynamic forecasting and more interactive scenario planning are areas we’re actively working on. These aren’t just abstract concepts - they’re practical tools designed to make a difference in financial planning for your day-to-day operations.
At the end of the day, it’s not about jumping on the latest tech bandwagon. It’s about creating tools that farmers can trust, that solve real problems, and that are grounded in the practical, number 8 wire spirit that drives New Zealand’s rural sector.
Farmers deserve better than gimmicks. Theydeserve tech that works as hard as they do.
