GPT's inaccuracies in agriculture could lead to crop losses and food crises

[Jim__]

From phys.org

Dr. Asaf Tzachor, Founder of the Aviram Sustainability and Climate Program at Reichman University, along with researchers from the US, UK, Kenya, Nigeria, and Colombia, scrutinized the reliability of the information and professional advice provided by the popular chatbot ChatGPT (versions 3.5 and 4.0) to farmers in Africa. The researchers identified inaccuracies that could lead to agricultural missteps and crop losses.

In their article for Nature Food, they caution against the unmediated use of generative AI models in agriculture, fearing that farmers might implement flawed recommendations that could trigger food crises. Instead, the researchers recommend a more optimal development process for AI models in agriculture that includes thorough monitoring and testing before these models are widely implemented.

Shortly after the launch of ChatGPT in early 2023, Dr. Tzachor convened an international team of researchers from agricultural research centers in Nigeria, Kenya, Colombia, France, England, and the United States. They observed that farmers in developing countries had started consulting the artificial intelligence model for professional advice on agronomy and botany.

These farmers, hailing from small to medium-sized farms across equatorial Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America, have access to the Internet and the OpenAI user interface. The research team sought to assess whether the innovative chatbot could supplant, or even substitute agricultural extension agents who train and consult farmers.

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[marble falls]

1. But guaranteeing huge profits for "disaster" investors.

[SWBTATTReg]

2. This is nice to know, that farmers do have access to this sort of information online. I did not know this.

I guess I'm stuck in the mode that no one in Africa or other rural places in the world don't have the Internet, or other interfaces, or if they do, it's very basic.

As to the workability of the chatbot interface, I'd say give it time, for as they spend more time on these interfaces etc., they get more better at inputting the data and then getting back some reasonable answers, not crazy or the like.