This session will provide an educational overview of artificial intelligence and its growing role in agriculture. We’ll cover how AI technologies such as machine learning, computer vision, and robotics are set to revolutionize farming practices. Attendees will learn how AI is transforming the way data is used to improve decision-making, optimize resource use, and enhance collaboration between farmers and retailers. By focusing on the impact AI has on the entire value chain, from field to store shelf, this session will highlight the opportunities and challenges AI presents for agriculture.

Speakers: Teddy Bekele (Land O' Lakes) and Tami Craig Schilling (Bayer CropScience, LP)

Biographies:

Teddy Bekele is the Chief Technology Officer at Land O'Lakes, a leading $20B Fortune 500 farm to fork farmer-owned cooperative. As a seasoned executive, he spearheads digital transformation, information technology, and cybersecurity initiatives through his adept leverage of technology and data. His academic credentials include an MBA from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina State University.

His insights and leadership in technology have garnered recognition from prestigious publications and media appearances, such as 60 Minutes, Gartner, BBC, Fortune Magazine, and MIT Sloan Management Review. His contributions have not gone unnoticed, earning him accolades like WCCO's "Minnesotan to Meet" in 2017, Twin Cities 2022 Outstanding Directors, the 2022 MinnesotaCIO ORBIE® CIO Leadership Award, and the esteemed 2023 Forbes CIO Next 50.

Teddy's impact isn't limited to the corporate sphere. He dedicates his expertise to the public sector as the Chair of the Minnesota Broadband Task Force and the FCC-USDA Task Force for Precision Agriculture Connectivity and Adoption, shaping the future of technology and agriculture. Teddy has lived across three continents, is fluent in Italian and Amharic, and now calls Minneapolis, MN, home. There, he enjoys life with his wife Michele, their son Teddy Jr., and their daughter, Luna.

Tami Craig Schilling bio coming soon.