Microsoft Corp. MSFT CEO Satya Nadella showcased the company’s artificial intelligence initiatives in Indian agriculture, highlighting a broader push into AI technology backed by an $80 billion investment planned for fiscal 2025.
What Happened: During a visit to the Agricultural Development Trust, Baramati in Maharashtra, India, Nadella observed how local farmers are leveraging Microsoft’s AI tools to optimize crop yields and combat climate challenges.
The initiative, part of Microsoft’s “Farm of the Future” project, has shown promising early results with sugar cane yields increasing 30-40% and sucrose content rising 20%.
“It was great to meet the team at ADT Baramati today, who are using our AI tools to help farmers grow healthier, more sustainable harvests,” Nadella wrote on X.
The agricultural initiative utilizes Microsoft’s Azure Data Manager for Agriculture platform, combining data from weather stations, soil sensors, and satellite imagery to provide farmers with actionable insights through a mobile app called Agripilot.ai.
Why It Matters: This development aligns with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates’ vision for AI in agriculture. Gates, who owns 275,000 acres of farmland in the United States, has been advocating for AI adoption in farming practices.
During a recent visit to India, Gates praised the country’s innovation in digital infrastructure and its application in agriculture, particularly noting how AI and chatbots are delivering personalized farming advice to 7.5 million registered farmers.
Microsoft’s agricultural AI initiative comes as the company plans to invest approximately $80 billion in AI data centers during fiscal 2025, with more than half allocated to the United States.
The investment reflects Microsoft’s aggressive expansion in AI infrastructure, as the company reported its AI business segment is approaching $10 billion in annual revenue.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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